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Anchor 1: The playground is hands-down the place all kids want to spend their time when
they're in school -- that's where I liked to be the most -- but there are a few concerns
with so many crawling all over the equipment. During recess, accidents can happen.
Anchor 2: Schools are constantly looking for ways to increase safety, and one program is
out there focused on just that. KSBI TV's Jamie Ratliff is live with how that program
attempts to help them out. Good evening, Jamie.
Jamie: For the most part, parents accept that kids are going to receive their fair share
of bruises and hurt feelings during recess. The playground equipment just isn't known
for safety and metal bars like this are magnets for child injuries, but officials with Peaceful
Playgrounds say their playgrounds help lessen those injuries.
Spokesperson: This hopefully will spread them out a lot more and give them more things to
do.
Jamie: There are only five days left before Piedmont Elementary fills up once again, but
this time, school officials say students are in for a big surprise.
Shari: Some of those children had kind of a sneak preview of the playground and some
equipment we added, and they were very, very excited. They were jumping up and down and
screaming and they were very happy about it.
Jamie: More than 7,000 schools nationwide are taking part in Peaceful Playgrounds.
Shari: Peaceful Playgrounds is about giving kids something to do that's constructive and
fun so that they're not grouped up on playground equipment. It cuts down on bullying, it cuts
down on them being creative and getting themselves in trouble.
Matt: And it's education, plus you get some physical exercise.
Jamie: Matt McMullen is responsible for helping to turn blank asphalt into an area filled
with colored numbers, letters, and games. But how does this promise to cut down on injuries?
Shari: One of the rules is, you can't say, "You can't play".
Jamie: Rules have been implemented for all games. The hope is to keep cliques from forming
and therefore cut down on emotional injuries.
Shari: The more structure we provide, the safer it is for kids and the safer emotionally
it is for kids, too.
Jamie: Plus, by adding this, children are evenly distributed instead of huddled around
equipment, which helps physical safety.
Matt: They're going to be happy and have fun with it for quite a few years.
Jamie: Officials say the playground shouldn't just be about recess. They say, with Peaceful
Playgrounds, they hope to bring classrooms outside to keep children involved and learning.
Reporting live from More, Jamie Ratliff, KSBI TV.
Anchor 2: Very informative. Thanks Jamie for that report. Piedmont school officials say
new playground equipment they bought cost about $6,000. The cost for Peaceful Playgrounds
was 1/6 of that.
News 12 -- New Jersey Principal Testimonial on Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Program