Latest news with #outdoorplay
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Zbar Bake Sale Collection Features Two New Flavors and Helps Raise Awareness of KABOOM! Partnership Focusing on Kids' Access to Outdoor Play
Approximately 30 million kids in the United States lack nearby outdoor places to play, inspiring the Zbar brand partnership with KABOOM! EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zbar, the energy snack bar for kids, is kicking off the Spring season with the launch of the Bake Sale Collection, featuring two delicious new flavors: Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme. Inspired by home baking, Cinnamon Roll tastes like all the fun that Saturday mornings bring in a bar, while Cookies 'n Creme offers a delicious twist on a family favorite. With a soft-baked texture, Zbar energy snack bars are made for busy, adventure-fueled days—perfect for park outings and snack breaks before sports practice. The Zbar Bake Sale Collection also highlights the brand's partnership with KABOOM!, a nonprofit organization committed to ending playspace inequity. According to a study from the University of Michigan, kids in the U.S. get only 7 minutes of unstructured outdoor play time per day, on average.1 In addition, the Trust for Public Land found that nearly 30 million kids live more than a 10-minute walk from the nearest park.2 As the brand that believes in helping fuel kids to discover their world, Zbar announced a two-year, $1 million partnership with KABOOM! in July 2024 to help build nature-based, sustainable playgrounds for communities nationwide. The initiative supports KABOOM!'s climate-forward playground design by incorporating natural elements like trees and shade structures, and replacing heat-retaining materials with cooler, sustainable alternatives. Together, the Zbar brand and KABOOM! want to create new nature-friendly playgrounds in communities where they're needed most to help give more kids the opportunity to spend time playing outdoors–even as the summer starts to heat up. 'At Zbar, we're committed to crafting quality snacks for kids that help fuel active exploration,' said Valerie Van Arkel, Director of Marketing for Zbar at Mondelēz International. 'The delicious new Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme flavors in our Bake Sale Collection deliver the delightful taste kids want for their warm-weather adventures, while highlighting the work we are doing with KABOOM! to help connect more kids to nature and outdoor play.' 'The joy of outdoor play is something that every child needs to experience,' said Lysa Ratliff, Chief Executive Officer of KABOOM!. 'In partnership with Zbar, we will create eight new playgrounds that are nature exploration areas, helping more than 15,000 kids develop lasting memories outdoors. Together, we're making great progress toward our goals of fostering a more sustainable playground industry and helping increase the number of kids who can get outside to play.' Designed to provide parents with fuel their kids will love, Zbar energy snack bars are non-GMO, USDA Organic certified and a good source of fiber with 11g-13g whole grains per bar. Zbar Cinnamon Roll and Cookies 'n Creme flavors are available at all major national retailers in packs of 6 and 12. References About CLIF For more than 30 years, CLIF has crafted delicious food with organic whole grain oats under its CLIF BAR, Zbar, Nut Butter Bar, and LUNA brands. In 2022, CLIF became part of the Mondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ), portfolio of brands empowering people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2024 net revenue of approximately $36.4 billion, Mondelēz is leading the future of snacking with other iconic global and local brands such as OREO, RITZ, belVita, LU, and TATE'S BAKE SHOP biscuits and baked snacks, as well as CADBURY DAIRY MILK, MILKA and TOBLERONE chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information about CLIF BAR, please visit CLIF | Mondelēz International, Inc. ( About KABOOM! KABOOM! is the national nonprofit committed to ending playspace inequity – the reality that quality places to play are not available to every child, especially in communities of color. Since 1996, KABOOM! has partnered with kids and communities to create or transform 17,000+ playspaces and ensure that more than 12 million kids have equitable access to the critical benefits and opportunities that playspaces offer. KABOOM! continues to make progress on its 25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity through new partnerships with a goal of accelerating efforts in 25 municipal systems toward achieving their mission at scale across the United States. Learn more at or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Mondelēz International
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Amsterdam: sound of children playing not a valid reason for complaint, say experts
Residents in one of Europe's most densely populated cities who complain about the noise of children playing should be ignored, according to a sports advisory group which says outdoor activity is vital for their health. In new outdoor play advice, Sportraad Amsterdam (Sports Council Amsterdam) says local bylaws should be changed so that the sound of children playing is no longer a valid reason for complaint by vexed neighbours. 'Especially in an urban environment like Amsterdam, the sound of playing children is a natural, desirable and unavoidable part of daily life. The municipality's communication needs to position the sound of playing children as a positive and healthy aspect of the city,' says the report by the independent advisory body. Changing the legislation would 'help prevent unnecessary restrictions or the closure of playgrounds due to a few complaints', it added. As the Netherlands aims to build almost 1m homes to address its housing crisis, bodies such as Sportraad Amsterdam are campaigning for authorities to factor in outdoor space for children to those plans. According to city research, many in the Dutch capital already live in small, single-glazed houses without gardens. National figures suggest 38.5% of Dutch children aged four to 12 do not meet national guidelines of at least an hour a day of intensive movement. Nick Romeijn, the general secretary of Sportraad Amsterdam, said: 'Public space is becoming ever more scarce, including outdoor playgrounds. Existing playgrounds are being used more, leading to complaints about noise pollution. As a result, politicians sometimes scale back or move playgrounds. But if in 15 years, we want to have a city where children are welcome, we have to make choices … And if you have [daytime] noise from a playground because children are playing, you need to embrace it.' Amsterdam municipality welcomed the report and said it was working to address the concerns. Rob Hofland, a D66 party councillor who has proposed a new policy to stimulate rough-and-tumble play, said it was vital to give children play spaces. 'And yes, playing children make a noise,' he said. 'That is part of the city.'
Associated Press
07-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening Announce the 2025 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grantees
MARYSVILLE, Ohio, MAy 7, 2025 /3BL/ - To connect more children to gardens and outdoor play, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening awarded grants to 170 community-level programs under the annual GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant initiative. From spring through fall, the programs will start or expand youth gardens and green spaces. Selections for the 2025 GroMoreGood grant recipients were based upon the learning impact, including factors such as individual program participants, prior funding and socioeconomic reach, among others. 'We are grateful to partner with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to support the GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants and bring the transformative power of gardens to communities nationwide,' says Em Shipman, KidsGardening executive director. 'This year's recipients are truly inspiring—restoring gardens after natural disasters, creating inclusive spaces for youth with disabilities and revitalizing community gardens for after-school programs.' The 2025 recipients span 44 states across the country and anticipate connecting more than 38,000 youth with garden-based learning opportunities. For a full list of GroMoreGood Grassroots grantees, visit GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant Winners. 'This year was notable with the number of unique proposals that reflected the challenges and opportunities many communities are facing,' said Brian Herrington, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. 'We're confident these grantees not only will help foster a growing appreciation for gardens and green spaces, but also create positive experiences grounded in their many environmental, health and wellness benefits.' Awards were distributed to the winners at the end of March 2025. About The Scotts Miracle-Gro FoundationThe mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit About KidsGardeningKidsGardening is a national nonprofit organization creating opportunities for kids to play, learn, and grow through gardening. They provide grants and original educational materials to more than 2.7 million kids across the country. For more information and to support their work, visit For media inquiries: Katherine Dickens Director, ESG and Social Impact [email protected] Beth Saunders KidsGardening Marketing and Communications Director [email protected] View original content here. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from ScottsMiracle-Gro
