Physical educators seek ways to motivate students to engage in lifelong physical activity. Research demonstrates that autonomy-supportive climates improve motor skills and competence in children. Although substantial research exists on the benefits of autonomy-supportive climates on children's motor skills, little is known regarding the…

Outdoor education programs have been shown to have a positive effect on the educational, physical and emotional development of youth. They are increasingly being used to foster a sense of community in schools and to provide students with learning opportunities related to the environment. This article describes an integrated outdoor education…

Low-income minority females are disproportionately affected by obesity. The relevance of summer months to weight gain is often overlooked. Some evidence suggests that summer programming, such as day camps, may offer increased opportunities for structured physical activities resulting in less weight gain. This study examined the effectiveness of…

Research suggests that a girl's career interests in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) declines between grades 6 and 8. Similarly, in middle school, there is a decrease in physical activity among girls. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island (URI) conducted a chemistry-based science camp that took place…

Four keys to successful school camping programs are offered. (MM)

Background: Health is recognized as an important factor in children's educational achievement, and school-based health education programs are recognized for their potential long-term impact. However, the extent to which children conceptualize health similarly as adults, and the nature of their understandings of health, remain cloudy. Purpose:…

The National Sports Education Camps Project (NSEC), a joint partnership between Western Michigan University and the United States Association of Blind Athletes, provides short-term interventions to teach sports to children with visual impairments. A study comparing 321 students with visual impairments, ranging in age from 8 to 19 years, before and…

The guide lists and describes physical education and recreation services available to handicapped people in the Detroit, Michigan, area. Agencies are arranged in five sections: those agencies providing services for most handicaps, including mental retardation, physical impairments, and learning disabilities; those providing services principally…

The legal aspects of the school day camp and how the school may be affected are explored. Court opinions indicate that school camps are subject to the same rules and legal regulations as those imposed when the students are at school or on school grounds. (JN)

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the need to develop unique physical activity and sport programs that specifically target the participation of nonathletic and nonactive girls. In addition, the authors provide an overview of an example of one such program, Project Destiny. A description of Project Destiny is provided in terms of its…

This text offers case studies, models, and specific techniques to assist children, teenagers, and adults with disabilities to participate more fully in local school and neighborhood social and leisure activities. Three basic themes are stressed: first, that of using a community leisure facilitator to support people with disabilities in community…

This book was developed to assist recreation service providers, as well as families, to understand strategies for supporting individuals with ASD in community and school recreation programs. The ideas have many practical uses in generic and specialized recreation programs. A variety of audiences, including teachers, recreation service providers,…

Camp HELP (Handicapped Experiential Learning Program) at Jacksonville State University (Alabama) offers educational, psychological, and behavioral therapeutic play services, through university students of physical and special education, to multihandicapped children from the community. Activities, facilities, and staffing for the summer day camp…

Outdoor Education is presented as a means of curriculum enrichment through experiences in and for the outdoors. Discussion includes the definition and need for outdoor education, enrichment activities in the out-of-doors, outdoor education laboratories, day camp and resident camp programs, and resources for outdoor education. Outdoor school…

Eleven articles highlight successful youth programs in health, physical education, and recreation, examining partnerships between schools, community agencies, and parks and recreation departments. The articles discuss issues of program evaluation, cultural diversity, inner city programs, skating, interagency collaboration, partnerships in…