Long Live the Playground
WASHINGTON/September 22, 2026 / BPALiveWire - At a time when dollars are tight, some may wonder why a development campaign would pull out all the stops to fund something as seemingly simple as a playground.
But perhaps that is exactly why we should.
Recently, Brandon Brice, Chief Development Officer, led a ribbon cutting at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Academy celebrating the school’s new playground. Donors, alumni, school administrators and community leaders gathered to mark the occasion.
But the most excited people in the crowd were not the adults.
It was the dozens of students patiently waiting for the grown-ups to clear out so they could finally do what kids have always loved to do, play.
And there is good reason to make sure they have that opportunity.
The CDC recommends that children ages 6 to 17 get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. Regular physical activity supports stronger bones and muscles, improves fitness and has benefits for cognition, memory and mental health.
A playground makes movement fun. Running, climbing, jumping, swinging and sliding don't feel like exercise to a child. They feel like childhood.
That matters at a time when screens compete for so much of our children's attention. It also matters because access to parks and places to play is not universal. The Trust for Public Land estimates that more than 100 million Americans, including 28 million children, don't have a park within a 10-minute walk of home.
A playground is more than equipment. It is a place where children make friends, learn to take turns, test their limits and create the kind of memories that stay with them long after childhood.
So yes, fund the playground.
Because sometimes the most important investments aren't the ones that prepare children for the future.
They are the ones that let children simply be children today.
Long live the playground.
