A few months ago, Capital Region Collaborative and our partners were honored to receive the distinction of  Richmond being named a Playful City USA by KaBOOM! Why were we so excited about being named a Playful City?

• On average, only 1 in 4 kids has 60 minutes of balanced and active play every day.
• Children are playing less than in any previous generation.
• On average, children spend 7 hours in front of some sort of screen.

Time spent outdoors has decreased for children in recent years, leading to higher rates of obesity, higher rates of stress, and a lack of social skills such as communication and collaboration.

To learn about play in America, why play matters, and the problems it can solve, visit the KaBOOM website. To see what types of projects have been funded by KaBOOM, including right here in Richmond, visit this New York Times article for more. Finally, to find or add a play area near you, visit KaBOOM’s Map of Play and get outside today!