In many ways, it's been a good year for those of us who are passionate about outdoor play. As my organization KaBOOM! continues to fight against our country's play deficit, our first challenge is convincing people that such a deficit exists. This past year just may have marked a turning point. Here are some highlights:
- Childhood obesity has become part of our national conversation--thanks in large part to the First Lady's Let's Move initiative and the recent passing of the child nutrition bill.
- A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that only one in five homes has a park within a half-mile, suggested that "access to parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers may lead to other healthy lifestyle choices, such as using modes of active transportation--like biking or walking to a park location."
- The Kaiser Family Foundation found that the daily screen time for children ages 8-18 hovers around 7.5 hours per day. A documentary released this year, Play Again, investigated the consequences of increased screen time and the parallel nature deficit by unplugging six teenagers and bringing them on a wilderness adventure.
