Park and Recreation Month

Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month. Created by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA), Park and Recreation Month specifically highlights the vital and powerful role local parks and recreation play in conservation, health and wellness, and social equity efforts in communities all across the country.

This year, it’s all about discovering the power of play with your local parks and recreation facilities. From learning a new sport like pickleball to meeting your friends on the playground, your local parks and recreation facilities are the places where everyone can play, regardless of age or ability. NRPA is encouraging everyone to get out there to experience the power of play for themselves.

Local agencies are leading initiatives and providing opportunities for people of all ages to achieve healthier lifestyles, promote and understand nature and conservation as well as bringing the community closer through a variety of programs and services.

Nationally, NRPA is celebrating Park and Recreation Month with a weekly contest encouraging people to show them why play is so important in their lives. NRPA also encourages all people that support parks and recreation to share why they think play is so important with the hashtag #PlayOnJuly. For more information about the contest and Park and Recreation Month in general, visit www.nrpa.org/July.

Did you know:

• Most Americans spend five hours per week participating in fun outdoor activities
• one hour of vigorous play provides intense skill learning
• If kids are active 25 minutes a day, three days per week we’d see 243,830 fewer overweight kids and would save $20 billion in medical costs
• Kids that play outside have better vision than those that play inside
• Community play spaces boost positive attitudes toward cultural diversity and reduce feelings of isolation
• Three out of four adults over age 30 that play sports also played sports when they were kids
• Half of all vigorous exercise in America happens in parks
• Kids that play at school become team players and develop into creative thinkers