Every human, in fact all mammals, have within them a biological wiring to play. Play circuits, in our brains at birth, are activated by stimulating elements in our environment. When a ball, a puppy, or a fun friend activates our play circuits, we feel an urge to turn our attention to that stimulus and engage with it – toss the ball, pet the puppy, or joke with the friend. Each of us possesses a play nature that is a unique combination of play personality types; identify the personality types that are playful for you, and you will have less stress and more happiness in your life. The wiring of those circuits is unique to each of us and that contributes to our each having a unique mix of play personality characteristics. Public spaces can and should be designed with play in mind if we are to truly create a healthier, happier society.

Learning objectives: Summarize the goals of the LWCF State Assistance Program; Outline the eligibility requirements to receive LWCF funding for a public outdoor recreation project; Define what is a SCORP and how to align with state specific requirements; List three tips/resources to assist in the planning process.

Learning objectives: Define the critical steps of planning and developing a LWCF project; Outline the steps to creating and managing a project timeline; Summarize a successful case example of a public outdoor recreation project funded through LWCF; List three helpful tips/resources to assist in submitting a successful application.

Learning objectives: Summarize the LWCF funding expectations after being awarded and for long term sustainability and compliance; List important considerations to take as you prepare for the completion of your project; Summarize a community case example that used LWCF funding to deploy evidence-based best practices to support health and wellness; List three helpful resources to assist in project completion, celebration, and sustainability.

Schools are considered ideal settings for advancing health and wellness initiatives for youth. Most youth attend schools, most schools have resources for health and wellness, and most schools are located in communities with park and recreation agencies. National frameworks even exist for school health and school physical activity where community engagement is identified as a key component for building healthier generations of youth. The challenge is how. How can park and recreation professionals successfully engage and partner with schools to collectively support health and wellness initiatives for youth?

​A comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) is the guiding framework for implementing physical activity opportunities across the school day and school context. The goal of a CSPAP is to provide daily opportunities and support structures for youth to engage in and benefit from a physically active lifestyle. Regular health-enhancing physical activity behaviors among youth can be accomplished across five CSPAP components: a) physical education, b) physical activity during school, c) physical activity before and after school, d) staff involvement, and e) family and community engagement. This comprehensive approach to active school settings has advanced evidence-based practices and opportunities for community collaborations.

The webinar contains examples and tangible steps to implementing Play Streets in any community as well as case studies illustrating how each of our four community partners created and implemented Play Streets.

The Youth Engagement and Action for Health (YEAH!) project works nationally with African American, American Indian, Latino, Asian, and Pacific Islander lower-income urban/rural middle schoolers to take an in-depth look at their neighborhood’s strengths and weaknesses that are most likely to affect physical activity. Using a group-based program curriculum that is designed to help youth advocate for policy/environmental changes that promote physical activity, youth collect information through small groups and are taught to set priorities for improvements around problems they identify.