Research shows a well-planned recess provides health benefits for kids
The Times
For the second year, St. Mary Medical Center has partnered with local schools to provide funding and training for Playworks, a program designed to train school aides on how to better plan health-enhancing recess activities and games for their students.
Through funding by St. Mary and training with Playworks, school aides go back to school to learn new recess techniques, activities and games. The games and activities vary depending on the size of the group, the age and skillset. The aides then teach their students how to exercise and play these games. Since starting the program in 2017, it has helped more than 5,600 students learn to play better outside and in.
“Students just don’t play outside like they used to,” said St. Mary’s Joann Dorr, manager of community health and well-being. “They either don’t remember or were never shown the best ways to play inside or outside, which is why we are excited to bring Playworks to our local schools.”
Playworks is a national, evidence-based program designed to harness the power of play to transform children’s physical, social and emotional health. Playworks coaches and trains elementary schools, districts, and after-school programs to integrate games into recess to create a welcoming place for every child on the playground.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the power of play is much-needed in today’s schools. Young children need roughly 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. The CDC says that exercise not only provides children the health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and good cardiovascular health, but that it also provides students the benefits of improved memory and attention in the classroom. Additionally, exercise can improve a child’s social and emotional development.
“St. Mary Medical Center is committed to improving the health of our community by partnering with schools to provide programs like Playworks for our area,” Dorr said. “Improving the health of our community only works if we partner together and make significant change.”
For more information, go to stmaryhealthcare.org/communityhealth or call 215–710–4590.
