By Nan Marshall
Contributing Writer
An abundance of advice for modern parents provokes debate. Is the neighborhood safe for play? Are kids too focused on screen media and electronic toys? How do you teach your kid the rudiments of social interaction? Toss out the questions and stand back for a spirited debate. Everyone will have different views and experiences that shape their thinking.
But ask whether today’s children have enough opportunity to climb, jump, slide or generally scamper about and you will find little disagreement. They don’t. With wishful nostalgia, parents will recall the joys of their childhoods of unstructured play. How can parents in 2010 allow their children autonomy while keeping them safe?
Sharing the concerns of their fellow parents, Lisa and Frank Chappell decided to create an environment that would provide a safe place for children to be both adventurous and protected - a place where children would think running around and making friends was more fun than engaging in the virtual reality of a computer game. They wanted to create a place that would offer opportunities for children of all body types to experience those exuberant bursts of energy of youth. In other words, a place where kids could simply enjoy themselves and get lost in the fun of it all.
After four years of research, the Chappells chose the Monkey Joe’s franchise, scouted out a central location on Eisenhower Drive near Hodgson Memorial Pkwy. and in September of 2009 opened the doors for business. Monkey Joe’s is an inflatable filled indoor play and party center that provides children twelve years-old and younger with engaging physical activity and entertainment.
Attention to cleanliness and safety were key factors in the Chappell’s selection of the Monkey Joe’s franchise. The use of Swisher Hygiene reduces exposure to germs and cross contamination otherwise prevalent in public playgrounds, schools and amusement parks.
“Safety is the top priority from the time our guests enter and are processed through SACCS to when they play on the first inflatable,” explains Lisa Chappell. The minute the child steps into Monkey Joe’s he receives an armband matching him to his parents and both are checked by employees upon exiting. Safe play is monitored by whistle-bearing referees. As a result, parents can relax as Monkey Joe’s staff keeps an eye on the cavorting children.
With childhood obesity rates soaring, it’s no surprise parents have welcomed Monkey Joe’s to the Coastal Empire. Since 1980 childhood obesity has tripled. Currently 12.5 million American children and teens aged two to nineteen are obese – 17 percent of the population. An additional 16.5 percent of all children are at risk for becoming overweight according to the office of the Surgeon General.
Why are we experiencing this staggering and disturbing surge in obesity? The answer is too much screen time and too little exercise time. For the sedentary child, the world is intolerably dull and slow moving place by comparison with the excitement available by the press of a button or the flick of a switch.
In his over four decades of practice, veteran Savannah pediatrician Dr. Joseph Morrison has witnessed the changes in our society that have made it more difficult for children to get one to two hours of exercise daily. He says, “You can’t tell a little kid to go outside for an hour. He isn’t going to do it, and in many cases it’s not safe. Nor can you depend on school to satisfy a child’s physical education requirements. Parents need to figure it out. They can register the child in an organized sports program, take a family walk or go to a play ground, but exercise is not going to happen without family involvement.”
A study presented at the American Heart Association’s 2010 Conference reported that exercise strengthened kid’s brains as well as their bodies. Students who were athletic had the best scores in reading, math, social studies and science tests. Kids who were sedentary or in other words “couch potatoes” had the lowest scores.
First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative recommends 60 minutes of active play a day. “From the time children are mobile, it is important that they learn and practice all types of exercise,” explains Savannah pediatrician Dr. Ramon Ramos. “By running, jumping, climbing, sliding, bouncing, throwing, catching and kicking, youth will develop not only physically and mentally, but also they will develop the sense of leadership and team work, which is important in the growth of a united community.” Coach Jason Creager, Savannah Country Day Physical Education teacher notes, “Play and exercise help kids develop balance coordination and an overall intuitive sense of their bodies. To help our children learn to navigate the world, we need to give them opportunities to face a bit of uncertainty, test their bravery and meet the challenge.”
But how can we get our kids to exercise? As parents can testify, this objective is often easier said than done. The enticing equipment at Monkey Joe’s provided the solution for a visitor to Savannah. An entry on Trip Advisor reads, “Our family was excited to discover Monkey Joe’s on our recent trip to Savannah. Our children absolutely loved it, and we had to drag them out of there. We were especially thrilled to see the one son who normally just wants to sit in front of computer actually get some real exercise and enjoy it.”
So no excuses of, “It’s too hot, it’s raining, the bugs are biting, I don’t have anybody to play with.” Monkey Joe’s has broken down the barriers for recreation and offers a chance for kids to develop the healthy habit of play in a clean and air-conditioned environment. Through play children learn how they fit with people, how people fit with them and how they all fit together in the community.
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