Many Australian children are more sedentary than they should be, and almost one in five are currently overweight or obese. Some children may face difficulties finding opportunities to be active, having poor access to safe public open spaces or having low independent mobility limiting their access to places to play. This study aimed to examine…

The authors explored the influences of 3- and 5-day residential environmental education programs at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (TN) on participants' connections with nature, environmental stewardship, interest in learning and discovery, and awareness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and biodiversity. The authors found…

This workbook contains many outdoor activities which were developed in New York's Central Park to help children explore and understand their city parks. Involvement in the activities is intended to increase appreciation and awareness of the role of parks in the urban environment. The publication can serve as an example of what others can do with…

Water-play parks, a relatively new recreational concept, represent an excellent and highly lucrative development opportunity for public parks and recreation departments. Location, site requirements, construction costs, expected revenue return, and activities and facilities appropriate for these parks are discussed. (PP)

Summaries of papers given at a regional training institute on parks and recreation facilities, programs, amd objectives are presented. The purposes of the institute were to encourage professionalism among those who work in parks and recreation, to foster interagency cooperation, and to support colleges that train parks and recreation…

Presents Rotary Park in Mesa (Arizona), designed to be accessible to the disabled and developed by the Mesa Rotary Club, the city parks and recreation department, and county and federal agencies. Describes the park's origins, development, and special recreational equipment, including a physical fitness trail and multipurpose playing areas. (RW)

Playgrounds should be diverse and flexible so that children have many different opportunities for natural, creative play. Equipment should encourage group activities, challenge children at different levels of development, and enhance physical fitness. Such playgrounds could receive enthusiastic public support. (PP)

Creating authentic digital learning experiences associated with classic field trip locations is a growing educational practice. One form of this developing field of educational programming is an electronic field trip, which involves student activities, teacher curriculum, and a live broadcast from the target location. This study provides the first…

This article examines the history, current status, and future possibilities of the park idea. (MK)

This document was designed to aid the community planner in the development of a recreation feasibility study. The feasibility process is fundamental for progressive community effort in either long range or short term planning. Chapters present information on: (1) definition and purposes of feasibility studies; (2) legal feasibility; (3) site…

This article describes a program in which artists play a role in helping to save natural resources. (PD)

This study analyzes some of the psychological and sociological effects of constructing motorcycle riding areas adjacent to fixed-site compgrounds. Findings include rider and camper profiles, self- and camper-perceptions of riders, and preferences and satisfactions of campers and riders concerning the proximity and design of riding areas.…

One method for the development of additional resources for recreation in heavily developed urban areas is the utilization of air space over land already developed for other purposes. (MJB)