With research proving play is critical to the overall well-being of children, 217 cities and towns, including Kenmore, earned recognition from national non-profit KaBOOM! as 2013 Playful City USA communities for their efforts to give children the childhood they deserve by providing ample opportunities for play. Kenmore is one of four cities in the state of Washington along with Auburn, Mercer Island and Parkland recognized as a Playful City.

Today’s generation of children play less than any previous generation despite the vast benefits of play. The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that play is essential to the social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being of children.

Sponsored by the Humana Foundation, Playful City USA is a national program from KaBOOM! that celebrates and promotes local policies that increase play opportunities for children and is a key platform in combating the lack of play among children.

KaBOOM! selected Kenmore for its outstanding dedication to play. In 2012, Kenmore hosted a community cardboard fort building event during its play day. Children of various ages worked together to build an enormous fort before spending the afternoon decorating and playing in the fort. Building the fort brought the children in the community together to work as a team as instead of only playing with children they knew, they made new friends as everyone collaborated on the design.

“The City of Kenmore is committed to ensuring that our residents have access to parks and other recreation areas that enhance the quality of life,” said Kenmore Mayor David Baker. “Children and adults are encouraged to take advantage of Kenmore’s many parks and participate in the annual Kenmore Play Day in August.”

Hailing from 43 states, the 217 Playful City USA honorees range in size from seven-time honorees such as San Francisco and Spartanburg, S.C., to first-time recipient Ellsworth, Kan. (population: 3,100). These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to play and physical activity by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.

“Kids need to play actively, every day, at home, in school and in their communities, yet play is disappearing,” said Darell Hammond, Founder and CEO of KaBOOM! and author of The New York Times Best Seller KaBOOM!: A Movement to Save Play. “Children spend nearly eight hours a day in front of a screen; almost half of all poor students are deprived of recess; and to make matters worse, only one in five children live within walking distance of a park. Playful City USA communities like Kenmore are creating innovative programs and initiatives and deserve recognition because of their efforts to give kids the childhood they deserve and best prepare them for their future.”

For more information on the KaBOOM! Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org. For information on Kenmore parks, visit www.kenmorewa.gov/parks.