Greenbelt Takes Playful City USA Title 6 Times

For the 6th year running, Greenbelt, MD, is a Playful City USA. It is one of five cities in Maryland that KaBOOM! selected for the honor in 2012.

Out of the 213 cities recognized, Greenbelt is among only 19 cities that have obtained the honor for six consecutive years.

KaBOOM! hopes that by spotlighting the best practices of Greenbelt, other cities in Maryland and across the country will look at that and encourage more play in their cities, said M.J. Kurs-Lasky, manager of Playful City USA on Monday.

"We recognize cities that have made a commitment to play," Kurs-Lasky said.

Play is disappearing, according to Kurs-Lasky. Statistics show kids spend 7 1/2 hours in front of a screen every day, and that only 20 percent of kids live within walking distance of a park or playground, he said.

Kurs-Lasky pointed to the benefits of play as physical and emotional, social and cognitive, explaining why KaBOOM! feels it is important to encourage and strengthen play.

"We envision a great place to play within walking distance of every child," he said.

Baltimore, Capitol Heights, Laurel and Takoma Park are the other four Maryland cities that KaBOOM! announced as Playful City USA 2012 honorees on May 1.