With research proving play is critical to the overall well-being of children, Raleigh has earned recognition from national nonprofit KaBOOM! as a 2013 Playful City USA community, the organization announced today. A total of 217 cities and towns received the honor for their efforts to give children the childhood they deserve by providing ample opportunities for play.
Today’s generation of children play less than any previous generation despite the vast benefits of play. The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of children.
Sponsored by the Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program from KaBOOM! that celebrates and promotes local policies that increase play opportunities for children. The program is a key platform in combating the lack of play among children.
KaBOOM! is dedicated to giving kids the childhood they deserve by bringing play to those who need it most. The organization created Playful City USA in 2007 to help local governments address the lack of play. It is through mayors, city council members, parks and recreation departments, school districts and community leaders that the program succeeds in benefitting children.
KaBOOM! also selected Raleigh for its outstanding dedication to play. Through its community oriented government initiative, the City seeks to improve the quality of life for residents by relying on citizen input for programs, including mobile apps that allow residents to provide feedback on parks and facilities.
Raleigh and the 216 other Playful City USA communities are now eligible for $15,000, $20,000 and $30,000 grants via Let’s Play. Let’s Play is a community partnership led by Dr Pepper Snapple Group to get kids and families active nationwide. Grant recipients will be announced in the fall.
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