For an enhanced digital experience, read this story in the ezine.
For several years, public health experts have been sounding the alarm about the adverse health consequences that extreme screen-time consumption can have on children’s cognitive and social-emotional development. According to recent studies, “excessive screen usage has detrimental effects on social and emotional growth, including a rise in the likelihood of obesity, sleep disorders, and mental health conditions including depression and anxiety. It can obstruct the ability to interpret emotions, fuel aggressive conduct, and harm one’s psychological health in general.” Research such as the above drive NRPA’s work toward developing critical resources and supporting data to help communicate to your community the essential role that local parks and recreation has in enhancing children’s health outcomes. These tools also help to encourage parents and caregivers to prioritize their children’s nature time over screen time.
In the cover story, “Nature Play Is Totally Normal!” on page 34, author Paula Jacoby-Garrett explains how a trip to Scandinavia inspired finance executive and philanthropist Charles Jobson to bring a holistic nature play experience to his hometown of Normal, Illinois. His vision involved enlisting the help of renowned park design experts and community input to create an innovative park that provided children with a natural environment for accelerating their creativity and sparking their imagination. “I want to let people know about the underlying principles behind natural play and why it is important to our society today,” Jobson explains. “I believe there is a desperate need for self-directed nature play. Kids are micromanaged from morning to night, and there is a significant difference between adult-directed and self-directed play.”
City of Albertville, Alabama, not only believes in the importance of play and time outdoors for children, but also in equitable recreation for all community members regardless of race, age, ability, socioeconomics, etc. Thus, Albertville’s renovated Sand Mountain Park and Amphitheater sits on 140 acres, offering myriad sports, recreation and entertainment programming to meet the diverse interests and needs of the community. What’s more, the property features nine playgrounds that are “97 percent accessible, with almost every single feature able to be enjoyed by children regardless of their ability,” according to Michael Shows, AIA. Learn more about the Sand Mountain Park project in the article, “A Recreation Gateway for All,” on page 38.
Lastly, if you’re planning to attend the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference this October, be sure to check out the article, “Welcome to Atlanta,” on page 42, in which NRPA’s Chris Brummett highlights fun things to do while staying in A-town, such as visiting the Atlanta History Center, Piedmont Park or SkyView Atlanta.
And speaking of Atlanta, if you haven’t already done so, please register for the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference at conference.nrpa.org/Registration. After all, you belong at the biggest event for park and recreation professionals!
Vitisia Paynich is Executive Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine and Director of Print and Online Content at NRPA.