Community Building
In communities, we share schools, neighborhoods and parks. We live together, work together and play together. How can we use play to help build healthy communities? These articles take a look at how communities can benefit from the value of play.
Play helps to make communities strong and healthy
Healthy People in Healthy Communities: A Community Planning Guide Using Healthy People 2010, Healthy People 2010
Community means caring—from person to person and family to family. Are you living in a healthy community? A healthy, safe environment improves the lives of all people, regardless of age and background. A healthy community has several goals: among them, to increase the quality and years of healthy life for its members and to eliminate health disparities in the community. Play is one part of the plan. Regular physical activity helps everyone across the board.
Beautiful, safe playspaces encourage children to play
Children, Exercise and Parks, Alan Greene, MD, FAAP
Creating beautiful, safe spaces for play is a community effort, and the benefits for young people are significant. A study showed that “children were 400% to 500% more likely to be physically active if they were given an attractive place to play and were supervised by adults.” When a community invests in creating recreational spaces for its children, it is promoting health and well-being for everyone.