Woman Entrepreneur Gets Kids Moving

COLD SPRING, NY -- A recent study from Oregon State University (OSU) showed that playground safety, access to play equipment, peer conflict resolution and quality adult-child engagement all contribute to a quality recess experience for elementary school children.

Fit and Fun Playscapes, a local business specializing in custom playground stencils, has long advocated for quality, daily recess and the importance of play in a child’s cognitive, physical and social-emotional development. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control), for example, recommends that kids get at least 20 minutes of play daily for optimal health, and lists Fit and Fun Playscapes as a resource for “Strategy Category 3: Creating an Environment Supportive of Physical Activity During Recess” in a Jan. 2017 recess strategies guide.

“We’re proud to be listed as a source for creating a recess environment supportive of physical activity by the C.D.C.,” said Pam Gunther, a local mother of three boys and founder of Fit and Fun Playscapes. “We’ve expanded on that notion by adding social-emotional options to our playground stencils, as well as passive and active ones to provide many opportunities for social and active play.”

After a disappointing experience with a large stencil company, Gunther launched Fit and Fun Playscapes more than 10 years ago to bring affordable, quality products to local schools. Since then, Fit and Fun Playscapes has expanded, and their stencils can now be found both across the country and internationally. For example, the brand-new Candy Land in Yuma, AZ.

“The Oregon State study showed how much of a factor a quality playground experience is in a child’s physical, social and cognitive development,” said Gunther. “That’s something worth paying attention to. It’s something we’re constantly trying to address at Fit and Fun [Playscapes] with our stencils.”

Stencils from Fit and Fun Playscapes come in a variety of shapes and colors. Some stencils, like the Buddy Circle, are meant to facilitate friendship and kindness among strangers on the playground, whereas a stencil package like Enhanced Activity Stations are designed to raise kids’ physical activity through high-intensity exercises like burpees, sit-ups and planks. The stencils are made with a specific purpose in mind: to provide recess of the highest quality for kids, no matter the kid or activity.

“We want kids to be able to mix and match what they want to do at recess,” said Gunther. “Our stencils make it easy for kids to transition from low-intensity stations like yoga poses to high-intensity stations like squats or push-ups.”

Fit & Fun Playscapes is an international retailer of recess and playground game stencils. Fit & Fun has the largest selection of playground stencils that help support physical activity and pro-socialization skills. Our stencils can be found in schoolyards, community centers, public spaces, playgrounds and public transit hubs.

67 Pearl Street
Nelsonville, NY 10516

This release was published on openPR.