Playgrounds have become boring – stripped of seesaws, slides, swings, and jungle gyms. Sledding on snowy hills in public parks is in legal jeopardy. Fear of being sued and fear of even the slightest risk are increasingly leading to a sedentary childhood, even if that leads to the far greater health risks associated with obesity and lack of exercise. Children in America have lost significant opportunities for active, stimulating, and creative play that used to be commonplace; as a result, childhood obesity has risen and children’s social and cognitive development has suffered. The AEI-Brookings Joint Center and Common Good will bring together leaders in the fields of playground and landscape design, childhood development and health, and law to consider the relationship between America’s growing aversion to risk and the development and health of our children.
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