Friend of Trust for Public Land, 

Did you know the average child spends less than 10 minutes a day engaged in outdoor unstructured play? This alarming statistic is compounded by the fact that rising temperatures, bigger storms, and asphalt schoolyards pose significant risks during recess, especially in underserved areas. Many schoolyards remain dreary expanses of pavement, rendering them too hot for children to play safely. These asphalt schoolyards not only contribute to rising temperatures but also exacerbate flooding issues in our communities. 

With schoolyards nationwide becoming increasingly unsuitable for outdoor activity, we need your help now more than ever before. Urge your members of Congress to prioritize creating schoolyards that cool neighborhoods, manage stormwater, and provide opportunities for kids to connect with nature.

Community Schoolyards^® projects provide cooler temperatures, cleaner air, and flood control—making outdoor play safer and more enjoyable for kids, and for communities that benefit from the schoolyard staying open on weekends and after school hours. 

One such reformed schoolyard is at Shuang Wen School in Manhattan, which was underwater after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. We worked with students to upgrade their schoolyard so it can absorb rainwater and planted native shrubs and flowers. Added trees provide cooling shade and attract songbirds and butterflies, as well. When Hurricane Ida tore through New York City nine years later, the schoolyard was protected from flooding and damage.   

Your advocacy is crucial to creating more schoolyards like the one at Shuang Wen School. Urge Congress to pass Community Schoolyards^® legislation to make schoolyards across the country fit to combat severe heat, prevent catastrophic flooding, and serve as climate assets for today and tomorrow.

With your immediate support, we have the power to create green spaces like the one at Shuang Wen School for every kid—one schoolyard at a time. 

With my utmost gratitude, 

Danielle Denk 

Senior Director, Community Schoolyards^® Initiative 

Trust for Public Land