Help children play

Friday, September 16, 2011

“The work of children is play,” Fred Rogers, host of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” often said, which is one reason you should support efforts to replace the “big toy” playground at Memorial Elementary School.

The existing wooden playground structures often have been repaired, but Memorial Elementary School volunteer Joanne Smith told our Maryalice Gill this:

“It’s an old wooden structure, and it’s run its course. It was very well used and loved for many years, but it’s not able to be repaired or pushed along any further.”

So the idea is to bring in a new “big toy” with obstacles appropriate for 3- to 5-year-olds so that all Memorial students can use it, something the younger kids can’t do with the existing playground.

The new playground will cost $85,000 to install. The school has saved $40,000 toward the project, we reported last week, but needs another $45,000 that must be brought in through fundraisers such as the school’s November book fair, major raffles and the Spring Fling.

That’s where you can help. Go to the book fair, because buying books for your children is still a good idea, even in the age of electronic everything. And buy raffle tickets, because the money is going to a good cause.

Playgrounds are important, especially now, when so many children are obese from eating too much and playing too little. A playground can’t help with the former, but it certainly can help with the latter. If there is something on which kids can play, there’s a better chance they will play. If there’s nothing, or if there’s a structure not suited for them, well, they’ll probably do something else that doesn’t involve physical activity.

Even if you don’t have children at Memorial, get involved and help, because healthy kids help us all in the long run.

“We need all the help we can get from everybody in the community,” Smith said.

We hope she gets it.