By: Ashmar Mandou

According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, children have lost an average of eight hours of free time a week in the last two decades. “This truly is an epidemic,” said Joanna Dolgoff, M.D. and author of Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right. “Everyone really needs to step in and do their part to help fight the increasing rate of childhood obesity. We have schools across the country that are built without playgrounds for kids to stay active. Recess is very important in keeping the minds of young kids sharp.”

The current recommendation is for children to engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. It has been further recommended that half of the amount of physical activity take place at school, including at recess. With this in mind, Danimals launched its “Rally for Recess,” a national program to create healthy living by having schools compete against each other for a chance to win a ‘playground makeover’ of up to $20,000 and al all-day celebration. “Play time is a critical component of healthy childhood development and a lack of physical activity can definitely have a negative impact on a child’s intellectual and physical development,” said Dolgoff. “Experts agree that time spent playing outside can help kids release energy, socialize with their peers, develop emotionally and physically, and learn to be creative and spontaneous.”

Being a mother herself, Dolgoff knows first hand the importance of leading by example. “Sometimes it’s hard for parents who work long hours to come home and prepare a healthy meal. You don’t necessarily have to go to expensive food chains to get a quality meal,” said Dolgoff. “Buying frozen vegetables is good enough because it preserves the nutrients making it a healthy choice for families. Also, doing small activities, like playing a sport in your backyard or walking with your family around the neighborhood or to a park is a great step to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Dolgoff and Danimals encourage teachers to enter their schools into the “Rally for Recess” competition for a chance to build or upgrade their playground. For more information, visit www.rallyforrecess.com. Nominations will be accepted through February 8, 2012.