Healthy Communities piloted the use of inexpensive and reusable playground stencils to enhance outdoor physical activity opportunities for preschool children at eight sites. The Center for Healthy Communities’ observational study of playgrounds enhanced with stencil designs confirmed that the use of playground stencils during the above mentioned pilot program resulted in a significant increase in active play when stenciled playgrounds were compared with a control site without stencils. During the pilot study, System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) was used for the evaluation. SOPLAY is a validated tool for directly observing physical activity and associated environmental characteristics in free play settings (e.g., recess and lunch at school). Title Fundamental Movements (Obstacle Course) Time 30 minutes Facilitator
Healthy Communities piloted the use of inexpensive and reusable playground stencils to enhance outdoor physical activity opportunities for preschool children at eight sites. The Center for Healthy Communities’ observational study of playgrounds enhanced with stencil designs confirmed that the use of playground stencils during the above mentioned pilot program resulted in a significant increase in active play when stenciled playgrounds were compared with a control site without stencils. During the pilot study, System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) was used for the evaluation. SOPLAY is a validated tool for directly observing physical activity and associated environmental characteristics in free play settings (e.g., recess and lunch at school). Title Fundamental Movements (Obstacle Course) Time 30 minutes Facilitator
STAS_ECESHKsFG.docx