PlayOn! Curriculum Creates a Healthy School Playground

Chattanooga Christian School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has embraced the concept of a healthy classroom. When they began work on a new playground for school kids aged 5 to 12, they worked closely with GameTime play experts to create a play experience that addresses the needs of a whole child. They added balancing, and climbing, and overhead monkey bar type ladders to help kids grow strong and coordinated. They added slides in different areas of the playground to encourage looping play patterns. By including these elements, Chattanooga Christian School was designated a National Demonstration Site by GameTime's parent company, PlayCore. 

PlayCore created a guidebook for teachers to encourage kids to move more throughout the school day. It's called PlayOn! Promoting Physical Activity & Fitness Through Active Play and by including the 6 elements of active play in your school playground equipment, you could be eligible for a National Demontration Site designation just like Chattanooga Christian School. An NDS designation recognizes communities that develop play and recreation areas based on design and usage best practices. Qualifying sites receive certification, are added to a national database, vigorously promoted in regional and national publications and presented as best practice examples in outreach and educational seminars.

• Includes the 6 elements of PlayOn! approved play: spinning, brachiating, climbing, balancing, sliding, and swinging
• Principal has noted a difference in behaviour in students
• Kids enjoy multiple activity breaks to encourage more attention in classroom