Press Release by Playocracy
Just add Chalk and Children for a Creative Outdoor Classroom
Parents across Canada are struggling with managing work, homeschooling, and the stress of this “new norm” COVID-19 is causing. Parents are desperate for guidance and educational resources to alleviate stress and creatively inject some fun into a child’s new COVID-19 school day.
The Recess@Home stencil kit allows children to gather their lessons and create an outdoor classroom. Classes in physical education (aka gym class), math, language, art and the most popular ‘class’ . . .recess, can all be moved outside. When children play outdoors, they are more likely to be active, they practice their executive function skills, and they learn to take appropriate risks, reports Dr. Claire McCarthy, Harvard Medical School, in an article sharing the numerous benefits of outdoor play.
Playocracy’s Planet Play Stencil line’s inaugural kit, Recess@Home, is available in two options. The Full Kit includes 18 stencils, a package of starter chalk and over 60 games and learning activities to get a family started. Each lesson plan contains:
- A diagram of the stencil parts and the game/activity layout
- An equipment list (if any). All equipment is house-friendly
- Direction on how to play the game with suggestions for adaptations. Games have been designed for all ages (2-102) and all abilities.
The games/activities provided are just to start you off! The only thing that will limit what you create is your imagination. Sir Ken Robinson states “that creativity is as important as literacy and that, further, all children are talented and not afraid to be wrong. Mistakes should not be stigmatized but rather be seen as part of the learning process.”
COVID-19 has produced these Problems:
- Distance learning or e-learning
- Cancellation of summer camp and children’s sporting events.
- Staycations as family vacations have been cancelled in many cases
- Introduction of physical distancing with friends
Recess@Home Stencil Kits provides the following Solutions:
- An erasable outdoor classroom – change your creations with water
- Fosters: imagination, creativity, problem solving, fun education and
- Supports the mental and physical benefits of being physically literate
- Endless configurations of games and lessons that can be created
- Practice physical distancing while playing with friends in driveways or on the sidewalk
A Family that Plays Together Stays Together
As a social innovation company, Playocracy Inc. is developing tomorrow’s leaders on recess playgrounds across Canada and the US. As play has declined over the last 30 years, obesity, lack of resiliency, self-regulation, problem solving, and creativity are global issues that affect children and youth today. Playocracy Inc. has developed the resources that provide solutions to these problems with recess leadership training program, a playground stencil line, and other creative resources that allow children to be active while fostering cognitive, physical, emotional and social development.
Like many other companies COIVD-19 has brought our business to a grinding halt. Our primary customer are schools across Canada and in the US. However, instead of sitting idle, waiting for the world to gear up, we chose to take our talents and support the families within these schools. We are using the same approach we use with the schools: supply the equipment and resources so they can focus on teaching curriculum by incorporating physically activity and play. Parents do not need to think up the games, they just need to play with their children.
When this role modeling happens, many positive outcomes are evident: relationships strengthen, physical literacy skills are being developed, social skills are being practiced, neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, adrenaline) are naturally released into the brain. As well, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is released when we are active. This protein supports synaptic nerve growth and enhances learning. Not to mention, people are outside having fun!
A part of our company DNA is to give back to our community. We have created a Buy One, Give One program. When a purchase is made at the regular price, an additional kit may be purchased at a discounted price and we will ship this to a non-profit organization your community! It must be a registered non-profit organization, like the Boys and Girls Club.
Press Contact Details:
Lynn Campanella, CEO
905 741 3378
[email protected]
