The makers of Children’s Claritin® are teaming up with national non-profit KaBOOM!, to help bring innovative play spaces to schools in need. One of the finalist schools is in California. Because I am involved with the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I am trying to spread the word about this great contest. You get to vote on the Claritin Facebook page. The four schools with the most votes will each receive Imagination Playground™ equipment - mobile play sets comprised of oversized, foam blocks that can be assembled inside or outside. Pretty cool, huh?
Here is more information about the project from the Press Release earlier this month:
CHILDREN’S CLARITIN® and KaBOOM! Help Bring Play to Kids and Communities in Need
Campaign Asks Parents to Vote on Schools to Receive an Innovative Playground
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Aug. 1, 2013 – Merck Consumer Care, the makers of CHILDREN'S CLARITIN®, today announced a new program with national nonprofit KaBOOM!, to help bring innovative play spaces to schools in need. The campaign is engaging parents on the Claritin Facebook page, asking them to vote for one of 12 finalist schools. The four schools with the most votes will receive Imagination PlaygroundTM equipment, which creates an accessible, creative place for children to play in 2014.
According to Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), creative play helps children adjust to the school setting, foster learning behaviors, develop problem-solving skills and it enhances their readiness to learn.[1] However, schools nationally are decreasing playtime during the day. Children in under-resourced areas are disproportionately affected due to factors such as reduced access to play in the community. As a result, these children may miss some additional opportunities to develop skills that contribute to learning and social development.[2]
Children’s Claritin and KaBOOM! are helping to bring play to kids in need by offering 12 national schools the chance to win Imagination Playground equipment. These mobile play sets are comprised of oversized foam blocks that can be assembled inside or outside, offering children of all abilities the opportunity to foster creativity and critical-thinking skills. KaBOOM! selected the 12 finalist schools based on their criteria for this program, which included, among other factors, impact on low-income areas and number of students served. In addition, according to the schools’ submissions, many include students who have physical, cognitive or language disabilities that may inhibit them from fully exploring traditional playground equipment.
“I’m thrilled to work with Children’s Claritin to help spread the word to parents across America that every vote counts in our effort to bring play to schools in need,” said Brooke Burke-Charvet, host of Dancing with the Stars and spokesperson for the makers of Claritin. “As parents, we can help make a difference in the lives of kids who deserve every opportunity to be creative and learn at school.”
Beginning Aug. 1 through Oct. 31, 2013, parents are invited to vote for one of 12 finalist schools via an app on the Claritin Facebook page. Parents can vote once a day throughout the promotion, and the four schools with the most votes will each receive Imagination Playground equipment. All votes count in selecting the four winners and support Children’s Claritin’s efforts with KaBOOM!. Participants can post a “cause donation badge” for this promotion onto their Facebook timeline. The four winning schools will be announced in November 2013 and will receive the play sets in 2014. A valid Facebook account is required to vote.
“Kids should have the time and opportunity to play actively, every day, in their schools and communities,” said Darell Hammond, founder and CEO of KaBOOM!. “Through this campaign, we are bringing engaging play opportunities to schools and communities in need. We’re excited to team up with Children’s Claritin because we share their commitment to help kids get the most out of every day, in school or at play.”
Other factors beyond creative play may also impact learning readiness. For the up to 40 percent of school-aged children who suffer from allergies[3], common symptoms – like sneezing, itchy, watery eyes – can impact everyday activities, like school work and play. In fact, a new survey commissioned by the makers of Children’s Claritin revealed nearly three-fourths (74 percent) of parents with kids who have seasonal allergies admit that their kids seem less playful when they are suffering.[4]
“As a mom of four, I hate to see my kids suffer from allergies – they don’t feel at their best, whether in the classroom or outside playing,” Burke continued. “I use Children’s Claritin because it’s non-drowsy and it helps manage their symptoms for 24 hours so they can focus on school and play, not on their allergies.”
For more information and the official contest rules, please visit the brand’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/Claritin.
About KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is the national nonprofit dedicated to giving kids the childhood they deserve by bringing play to those who need it most. Children today spend less time playing outdoors than any previous generation, a fact that is having disastrous consequences on their health, achievement levels, and overall well-being. Social entrepreneur Darell Hammond founded non-profit KaBOOM! in 1996 in Washington, D.C., with a vision of creating a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America because children need to play actively every day at home, in school and in their communities. Since then, KaBOOM! has mapped over 95,000 places to play, built more than 2,300 playgrounds, and successfully advocated for play policies in hundreds of cities across the country. KaBOOM! also provides communities with online tools to self-organize and take action to support play on both a local and national level. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has an office in San Mateo, Calif. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.
So, if you have a chance, go vote. Each of the schools is in need of a new play area. As a mom, I can tell you that safe playgrounds are so valuable. Especially for kids who live in apartments and need a place to run and play!
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