Future of playgrounds...

Recently reported on the evening news was a troubling story about how children are not allowed to swing at some public schools due to litigation, and how children are so busy with sports schedules their parents have entered them into that the future of our nation's playgrounds is feared to become extinct. This also includes participation in computer games, television programming, and the Internet.

What are we doing to ourselves? We are more obese than ever before. Our children are bored when they are sitting idle because they are accustomed to every minute being occupied for them, thus they do not know what to do with "free time." And to add to all of this, we built our playgrounds to be "safe" so that injuries would be less likely to lead to law suits, but now they sit empty.

To make my point, please read the following reports:
http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309091969?OpenDocument

http://www.kaboom.org/News/Press_Room/Press_release_archives/Press_releases1_third_lack_playgrounds.html

http://washingtontimes.com/familytimes/20050730-104109-7481r.htm

While the last article is referring to "Nature-deficit disorder" in the context of camping, the story that ran on the national news also mentioned this dosorder in reference to playgrounds.

The next time you see youth sitting in front of the television or computer screen while they are getting larger and larger, think about what I have compiled here. One by one, we can make a difference. Take charge and get them outside!