6 Strategies to Increase Physical Activity in the Community

Promoting public health should be a priority for government, public and private organizations.

1. Design Activity-Friendly Routes

Promoting walking and biking in your community can be easier with activity-friendly routes. When
sidewalks, trails and bicycle lanes all easily connect with public transit stops, grocery stores, schools
and workplaces, people will be more likely to choose to be active. Activity-friendly routes to popular
destinations make travel safer, more accessible and promote walking and biking. Safe routes allow
people of all ability levels to access their destinations while getting fresh air and exercise.

While creating safe routes to every major destination can seem like a daunting task, there are some
routes to prioritize. Routes from residential neighborhoods to nearby schools and health care
facilities are an ideal starting point. Then, create paths to parks and other destinations like grocery
stores, neighborhoods and workplaces.

2. Develop Health, Nutrition and Exercise Initiatives at Schools

School-based health approaches help children start being active at an early age. Comprehensive
school physical activity programs can help encourage physical activity before, during and after
school.

Health initiatives: Health centers in schools can help address students’ complex health needs.
However, it can be complicated to implement these programs. Local organizations and community
members must cooperate to facilitate collaboration between the school and health sectors. Health
initiatives can also include classes or workshops for students to attend. Teach kids the relationship
between nutrition, exercise and health.

Nutrition education: Educating kids about nutrition is a crucial part of improving community health.
If kids don’t learn about nutrition at home, school is the next best place. Kids should learn about the
importance of a balanced diet and have access to healthy foods at lunchtime.

Exercise programs: Exercise programs at schools can include various components, like physical
education classes, recess and classroom activities. Comprehensive physical education classes help
kids get the activity they need each day while also teaching them new skills and ways to exercise.
Encouraging them to play during recess should also be a priority. Implementing after-school
activities is another excellent option. Sports programs can also help kids stay active on the weekends
during games or extra practices.

boy on champions trek climber

3. Establish Community Gardens

Community gardens are open plots of land where residents can grow fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Community gardens can promote healthy lifestyles in urban, suburban and rural areas. They
encourage healthy eating, exercise and being out in nature. Participation in gardening activities can
also improve well-being through reduced stress and increased social contact.

Healthy food: Community gardens increase access to healthy food. People can enjoy growing and
eating fresh produce. If there is any excess in the harvest, they can sell it or give it away to increase
the availability of local, healthy food for everyone in the community.

Physical exercise: Maintaining a garden requires a lot of physical activity, from digging out weeds to
checking for pests and harvesting ripe produce. In many cases, access to community gardens results
in more physical activity among youth and adults.

Social benefits: Community gardens also create various social and emotional benefits. People who
frequent the gardens will form social bonds with other community members. Families who garden
together can also build stronger relationships. Some communities that plant and maintain public
gardens have reduced food insecurity.

4. Launch a Community Health Challenge

Media campaigns can produce positive changes in populations, whether it’s encouraging people to
buy wellness products or improve their active lifestyles. Promoting physical activity could be as
simple as using marketing strategies to inspire your community to make healthy changes.
Competitions and challenges get more people involved as they invite friends and family members to
participate.

children in log tunnel

What Is a Community Health Challenge?

A community health challenge is a media strategy that promotes a health-oriented goal. Invite
people to better themselves while also educating everyone about the benefits of doing so. It could
be anything from challenging participants to reach a specific number of steps each day, train for a 5K
or eat healthier. Read about examples of successful community health interventions.

Starting a Community Health Challenge

Starting a community health challenge requires support from area organizations. The best way to
promote your message is to use many channels, such as mass media promotion and local
organization support. Use newspapers, radio ads, bulletins and more to get the most awareness
possible. Provide incentives, education and support for reaching the goals. Get as many people as
possible involved and let them know why their engagement is valuable.

5. Provide Exercise Opportunities

Sometimes, people are interested in getting active and improving their fitness, but lack access to fun
opportunities to work out. Parks, fitness centers and private organizations can open exercise classes
or events to the public. Here are a few examples of exercise events:

Yoga classes

Cycling tours

Dance workshops

Walk-a-thons

5K runs

Kickball games

These events can be specific to age groups or open to entire families. It’s a best practice to offer
many different events spread out over the whole year. This variety will encourage people of all ages
and ability levels to participate, while promoting a healthy lifestyle in the community.

6. Install a Community Playground

Community playgrounds offer a range of advantages. They provide a place for kids to develop
emotional, cognitive, social and physical skills. Older community members can also benefit from
these gathering spaces.

Facilitates social and cognitive development: Community playgrounds are perfect places for kids to
enjoy cooperative and independent play. As children interact with others, they learn how to
communicate, take turns and resolve conflicts while developing friendships. Unstructured play also
gives opportunities for decision-making and problem-solving. Kids have to choose which equipment
to play on and what activities to participate in.

Provides an emotional outlet: Children experience a wide range of emotions but sometimes don’t
know how to regulate them. Active play can help kids process their feelings and release stress. Being
out in nature also has emotional benefits and can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.

Boosts creativity: Playgrounds encourage and promote creativity through imaginative or pretend
play. Kids can act out fantasy stories and use the equipment as inspiring props. They can pretend
they’re knights, pirates or even animals and make up all kinds of stories. Themed playsets can make
imaginative play even more exciting!

Increases confidence: Community playgrounds should be safe places for kids to test their limits and
improve themselves. Every time kids conquer the climbing wall or make it across monkey bars, they
build confidence and learn what they can do. Kids will gain new skills and have higher self-esteem.

Builds community: Community connections are as valuable for adults as they are for kids. Parks and
playgrounds can be gathering places or a place to relax with friends, family and neighbors. Kids and
adults alike can feel a sense of community.
Encourages physical activity: Physical activity is a critical part of community health, and playgrounds
are an excellent place to get exercise. Kids jump, climb and play on the equipment. Adults can also
get exercise if there is a walking path or fitness area. All age groups can enjoy swing sets, too!

Children smiling in playground net

Creating a Community Park That Promotes Physical Activity

To create a community park, you’ll need help from a team of planners and playground experts.
While the process can vary depending on your location and community, these are the general steps
you’ll need to follow.

Choose a Location

First, you’ll need to identify the park’s location. Find a place that is safe, accessible and large enough
to accommodate plenty of amenities and activities. There should be plenty of grass, open areas and
trees that provide shade. Consider if there will be opportunities for expansion in the future, or if you
will consistently have the same amount of land. That may affect your planning process and what
activities you can provide.

Understand the Community

Next, you need to understand what the community needs in a park. Consider the demographics. Is
the area primarily young couples with children, or older adults? Assessing the market will help you
determine what your park needs to attract members of the community. The amenities you need to
appeal to kids are very different from the ones you need for seniors and older adults.

Seek Support

Often, a significant undertaking like a new park requires community support and participation.
Identify local associations, service clubs or influential leaders and see if they are willing to support
your project. Any kind of support is helpful, whether it’s vocal, physical or financial. You could also
do a local survey to see what people are more likely to support.

Include Various Activities

Providing multiple areas for different activities will attract the most people. Some amenities, like
walking loops, fitness equipment and covered pavilions, are more likely to attract older adults.
Sports fields and courts will attract kids and teenagers. Playground equipment will bring families
with small kids. Here are some different elements you can include:

Open sports fields with goals

Baseball/softball diamonds
Basketball courts

Covered pavilion with grills

Outdoor fitness equipment and pullup bars

Comfortable seating areas

Walking loop

Dog park

Hiking trails

Playgrounds for kids 2-5

Playgrounds for kids 5-12

Install Exciting Playground Equipment

Playground equipment is one of the primary components of almost every park. First, remember to
choose a location in the park that is mostly level and safe for kids to roam around on. Prepare the
land for the playground equipment by ensuring adequate drainage.

When it’s time for the equipment, partner with a trusted playground manufacturer. The equipment
must meet all safety standards, including those for correct installation. While you brainstorm
equipment options, also choose safety surfacing to install after you’ve built the playground, as a final
step before opening your new site to the public.

Including various equipment is crucial. Install classic pieces of equipment like swings, slides, tunnels
and climbers. Then, put in at least one unique thing that gets kids excited about coming to the park.
Playgrounds should be so fun for kids that they forget they are exercising!

Don’t Forget Amenities

All parks also need site amenities, such as benches, picnic tables, trash receptacles and bike racks.
These elements enhance the experience for every visitor. People need places to sit, relax and gather.
Bike racks encourage physical activity by allowing people to bike there. Trash receptacles are vital for
maintaining your park! Plenty of trash bins will encourage visitors to be responsible with their
garbage and not leave it lying around.