Playin’ in the Park in Tampa

Posted on 03/23/2011 @ 12:36 PM

One of the five areas of focus for the Children’s Movement is health care for children. We’re working to make sure more of Florida’s children have health insurance so that these kids can receive routine preventive care as well as treatment when they are sick.

Marisa Langford, an active supporter of the Children’s Movement in the Tampa Bay area, has started her own grassroots effort to improve the health of children in her community. Earlier this week, Marisa, a mother of three young children and the driving force behind Fit Kids Playground, told me about her commitment to reducing the ever-increasing rates of childhood obesity.

Fit Kids Playground centers around getting kids moving, teaching them from an early age about making healthy food choices, and reducing their “screen time.” Examples of the program’s offerings include:

• An age-appropriate educational enrichment program for preschoolers that uses elements of their standard curriculum (colors, counting, etc.) to teach kids how to make good food choices.

• A free family event called “Playin’ in the Park” on the first Tuesday of each month from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa. The event features all kinds of play and exercise activities, emphasizing simple, inexpensive ways to get kids moving. The event also includes live music and healthy food.

There are many other elements to this program. To find out more, visit Fit Kids Playground, as well as Marisa’s blog, Super Healthy Mama.

Becky Newell
State Coordinator, West Florida
becky.newell@childrensmovementflorida.org