Outdoors Alliance for Kids applauds introduction of PLAY Act to help create more parks, playgrounds in U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Outdoors Alliance for Kids, of which the Sierra Club is a member, is applauding the introduction of a bipartisan bill by Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) titled the “Prioritizing Lifestyle and Activity for Youth Act” or the PLAY Act. The bill would establish an interagency task force on youth health and wellness that would study how to create more parks, playgrounds, and green spaces across the U.S. 

The bill directs the task force to issue a report identifying opportunities to formalize coordination between the Department of Health and Human Services, public health and public lands agencies, and partner organizations to create more outdoor environments that encourage physical activity in youth. The report would identify existing barriers to creating outdoor spaces and provide recommendations on how to overcome those barriers.

In response, members of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids released the following statements: 

“This proposal to increase cross-agency coordination on youth health, and its commitment to help bring more children into nature, is inspiring. Time spent outside is about more than just play: it’s tied to measurable improvements in children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, and academic success. By understanding the barriers keeping kids inside, and by exploring ways to create more parks and playgrounds, this task force can help ensure America’s youth have the kind of access to nature that benefits their lifelong health,” said Julia Hurwit, campaign manager for the Outdoors Alliance for Kids and member of the Sierra Club’s Outdoors For All campaign.

“Every child deserves a safe place to play and every family deserves access to nearby green space. The PLAY Act helps break down the barriers that have kept too many communities from the parks and playgrounds they need to thrive,” said Catherine Nagel, Executive Director of City Parks Alliance.

"Play is important for children's wellbeing at every age, as it contributes to a happy childhood, brings children joy and relaxation in their school day, relieves stress, engages curiosity, helps them build social and physical skills, and promotes friendships," said Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America. "The PLAY ACT will help address the critical physical and mental health issues facing children today."

"Screen time and the pressures of technology continue to limit our children's ability to play, particularly in the outdoors. The benefits of playing and immersing in nature are clear. Collaboration and alignment to create safer spaces for children is critical, always and especially now," said David Beard, Director of Policy & Government Affairs at Children & Nature Network.

“Kids are facing multiple crises on many different fronts, from higher risks of diet-related diseases due to poor nutrition and lack of physical exercise to higher feelings of anxiety and social isolation contributing to the youth mental health epidemic. Play – especially on inclusive, kid and community-designed, high-quality, and safe playspaces – has been proven to help address many of these issues. Unfortunately, not enough kids have access to these kinds of playspaces and that is why we support the PLAY Act. This legislation will help bring all of the federal agencies involved in building outdoor recreational facilities together to help eliminate bureaucratic barriers and streamline funding processes to make it easier to access and braid public resources with private ones. Thank you Reps. Bacon and Williams for introducing this critical legislation,” said Lysa Ratliff, CEO of KABOOM!

“Getting children outdoors isn’t just good for their mental, emotional, and physical health – it’s where their curiosity for nature begins. When young people have access to green spaces, they’re not only playing, they’re discovering interests that can grow into lifelong passions. At Seed Your Future, we want every child to be able to see themselves in the many rewarding horticulture and plant science career paths that keep our communities thriving,” said Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director at Seed Your Future.

"At a time when children and families are stressed from so many different angles, nature-rich outdoor play offers a low-cost solution with big-time benefits. Neighborhood play spaces are one of the best investments we can make for future generations," said Christy Merrick, Director of Natural Start Alliance.

“At Justice Outside, we know that creating parks and playgrounds isn't just about infrastructure — it's about communities having the power to shape their own outdoor futures. We're inspired to see bipartisan recognition that communities closest to environmental inequities hold the solutions. When federal agencies coordinate rather than operate in silos, we clear the path for community-led transformation. We can finally move from asking 'why don't these communities have parks?' to 'how quickly can we support them in creating the spaces they envision?' That's the system change we need,” said Kim Bailey, President and CEO of Justice Outside.