Learn More About Play Every Day
Supporting Alaska children to grow up healthy and strong
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Overview
About the Play Every Day Campaign
Play Every Day messages and related efforts focus on encouraging two actions that help children grow up healthy:
- Getting daily physical activity that improves the health of the body and mind
- Serving healthy drinks like water or plain milk instead of sugary drinks
Play Every Day is run through the Alaska Physical Activity and Nutrition Program.
Making a Difference
About 1 out of 3 Alaska children is growing up at an unhealthy weight.
About 1 out of 3 Alaska children is growing up at an unhealthy weight.
Play Every Day messages reach families of young children. That’s when parents are making many choices for their families and kids are building habits. Starting healthy habits early can help kids maintain healthy behaviors throughout their lives.
Children who grow up at an unhealthy weight often become adults who have unhealthy weights. Today, about 2 out of 3 Alaska adults have overweight or obesity.
This is concerning, because having an unhealthy weight increases the chances of developing serious chronic diseases. Children growing up at an unhealthy weight are developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol at young ages. These are no longer just diseases that start in adulthood.
Play Every Day is reaching families statewide.
Play Every Day is reaching families statewide.
Play Every Day reaches families wherever they are. The campaign shares messages about physical activity and healthy drinks in schools, preschools, child care centers, doctors' and dentists' offices, health fairs, and more. Parents also see and hear the messages on TV, online, through social media, and on posters and handouts.
The campaign’s ultimate goal is for Play Every Day messages to inspire positive changes for families. And that’s what repeated evaluations have shown: Alaska parents are changing drinks they serve after seeing Play Every Day messages.
Campaign staff also work with the nonprofit Healthy Futures program to run a free, school-based physical activity challenge for Alaska children. Thousands of kids across the state enjoy this opportunity to track their physical activity and win prizes each year through the free Healthy Futures Challenge.
The Play Every Day campaign is making a difference.
Almost 1 in 4 parents (23%) reported changing the drinks they serve their 3-year-olds as a result of the campaign.
The Play Every Day campaign is making a difference.
Almost 1 in 4 parents (23%) reported changing the drinks they serve their 3-year-olds as a result of the campaign.
Play Every Day staff have reviewed how well the campaign works, multiple times over the years.
Our staff reviews (evaluations) show the campaign is reaching many Alaska parents. Families have improved knowledge about the importance of choosing healthy drinks instead of sugary drinks. Alaska parents are making changes that help their children grow up healthy and strong.
Alaska parents remember and respond to Play Every Day messages:
- 1 in 3 Alaska parents of young children (33%) have seen or heard campaign messages.
- 1 in 3 parents (34%) said the messages gave them new information about drinks.
- Almost 1 in 4 Alaska parents (23%) said they changed the drinks they served their young children because of the campaign.
Learn more about our Campaign Evaluation.