Environment is an essential area of attention for practitioners who support young children with disabilities and their families. Decisions about the environment impact the quality of care and education for young children with disabilities showing measurable influence on expected outcomes. Environment impacts true access, quality participation, and…

Neighborhood and school playgrounds are places that kids play, get fit and make friends. Individuals expect playgrounds to be safe and clean environments for children to play in. However, too many playgrounds across America have unsafe play equipment and are not well-maintained. Some may pose environmental health hazards such as the ones discussed…

With childhood obesity and physical inactivity at an all-time high, parents and physical educators alike must look to the early years to promote competent and confident young movers. Popular opinion believes that children are naturally active and motor skill development progresses as a normal function of getting older. However, if one looks at…

Based upon the principle that all children have a right to play and to experience the benefits of recess, this book assists elementary school teachers and parents in offering children in preschool through Grade 6 appropriate recess games and activities and provides a variety of readings that support the need for recess activities. The book is…

Parents can take an active role in preventing children's injuries by educating themselves about playground safety. The article suggests that parents make a playground safety check; be sure the equipment is suitable for the age group in question; supervise appropriately; and know each child's capabilities. (SM)

This book presents guidelines in the design and management of children's landscapes and reveals the importance of plants as a resource for play and child development. It identifies plants by function, i.e., their sensory values, play values, food production, seasonal interest, shade quality, screens against natural barriers, wildlife enhancement,…

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons launched a national public education campaign focusing on the problem of injuries related to playground equipment. The article presents several of its recommendations for playground safety and provides instructions for obtaining a free brochure. (SM)

Now more than ever, bullying has become common among students in American schools and playgrounds. According to the U.S. Justice Department, one in four children is bullied every day. As a result of these incidents, children may suffer from anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem. This book was written for today's parents and teachers who are…

The National Action Plan for the Prevention of Playground Injuries identifies four areas of playground risks that cause most playground injuries and deaths, including inappropriate equipment size for the age of the children, hard surfaces, inadequate supervision, and inadequate maintenance. Parents and school staff must become educated about these…

Presents a brief quiz for parents to see if their child's school building is taking basic steps to ensure a safe learning environment (e.g., Is the building locked? Are strict guidelines in place when students participate in field trips? Is adult supervision always maintained on playgrounds?). Suggested action plans are included. A sidebar offers…

There is a high rate of children's injuries on America's playgrounds. This report examines this issue and provides guidance on how to make playgrounds safer and more fun for children, and procedures for performing an initial analysis of the safety of a local playground using a playground safety checklist. Additionally, it provides a step-by-step…

Playground safety in Australia has evolved from being an issue for parents, teachers, city engineers, and other generalists to an issue for specialists. This paper takes the position that the general community must become involved in playground planning, renovation, and maintenance. After presenting statistics on playground settings and playground…

Designed to present interesting facts about science and to heighten the curiosity of primary age students, this book contains activities about the natural world and numerous black and white illustrations. The setting of parks and play grounds forms the basis of the activities in this guide. The activities unfold in a seasonal format, and examine…

Recognizing that for young children, play is a tool for learning, this book compiles contributions by different authors, reflecting both up-to-date research and current classroom practice as they relate to children's play. Part 1 of the book explores the value of play as a cross-cultural concept as well as one rooted in the Western world. Gender…

Three brochures for parents are presented. The first lists potential playground hazards and suggestions for improving playgrounds. The second describes benefits of the multiage classroom, comparing such a classroom with a traditional, single-grade class. The third brochure describes verbal, logical, visual, musical, and physical learning styles…