Youth Physical Activity National Demonstration Sites

Play On!

The purpose of Play On! is to promote physical activity and fun through the use of thoughtfully designed outdoor play environments and creative playground learning activities. The Play On! program provides educators and recreation professionals evidence-based best practices to promote fitness and health — maximizing the value and potential of school playground equipment.

Partners for School Playgrounds

GameTime and PlayCore are proud to partner with physical activity experts, SHAPE America, to provide a valid solution for intentionally increasing physical activity on playgrounds through six key elements of play to promote fitness. Play On! can be used with school playground equipment to enhance recess, physical education, before/after school programs, special events, camps, and other programming efforts that focus on combating sedentary lifestyles and childhood obesity.

Weller Elementary in Springfield, Missouri is a Play On! National Demonstration Site and a great example of a school that is committed to the health and wellness of their students and the whole community.

Curriculum For School Playground Equipment

The Play On! Program contains 125 activities for grades PreK-5 that align with national physical education standards. The program includes assessment tools, equipment lists, playground funding opportunities, send-home family resources, and design best practices.

Request a copy of the guidebook, and learn more about the benefits of a playground designed with the best practices found in Play On!

Play On! can become a vital component in efforts to strengthen, educate, and build healthier communities through play and recreation.

Meeting NDS Best Practice Requirements

• Incorporate six key elements of play that promote your physical activity — balancing, brachiating, climbing, spinning, sliding, and swinging.
• Provide a developmentally appropriate progression of skill opportunities through beginning, intermediate, and advanced elements.
• Design the layout of the space to encourage movement through running, chasing, and exploring.
• Program the environment utilizing Play On! learning activities and additional loose parts to encourage active play and social interaction.

If you're ready to help your community achieve its health and wellness goals, and want to create a playground based on best practice research, contact the GameTime playground expert in your neighborhood.