Partners: Planning Guides and Activity Tips

	On This Page VERB in Your Community Using Campaign Research

The more you encourage activity and active play to happen, the more kids will want to GO. You can work with the VERB campaign on a small scale: use the campaign materials once or twice to keep the message fresh. You can work with the VERB campaign on a grander scale: organize community-wide events for tweens to try new physical activities.

VERB in Your Community

Designing a Successful VERB Scorecard Campaign in Your Community [pdf 1.7M]. This publication guides the reader through the process of designing a program that gets their community (including businesses, non-profits, and schools) involved in promoting physical activity among 9 to 13 year olds. This 22-page, easy-to-read guide provides background on VERB, explains the scorecard program, and provides suggestions that assist the reader in modifying the program to fit their particular community. Also available as HTML.

Having A Successful Physical Activity Event: Your guide to making physical activity appealing to 9 to 13 year olds [pdf 8.9M]. Community-based organizations are integral to motivating kids to be active. By having local physical activity events, communities can take advantage of the interest that kids have in VERB. A local event could take many shapes and forms, but for it to appeal to tweens, the emphasis must be on fun. Also available as HTML.

Event Logistics Guide: Planning A Community-Wide VERB™ Activity Zone Event [pdf 19.6M].  Producing a community–wide VERB Activity Zone event is a great way to bring the VERB campaign to your community. Health fairs have long been an effective way to introduce adults to the importance of health screenings and preventive health measures. That, however, does not work for kids. Kids are interested in what is cool and fun. That is what a community–wide VERB Activity Zone event is all about. Also available as HTML.

Use Campaign Research in Your Programs

Make physical activity more fun and appealing to tweens by using some of the campaign’s research findings in your existing programs and classrooms:

• Help tweens discover new activities they enjoy. Children this age respond to the spirit of adventure, discovery and finding their own thing.
   
• Prizes are great incentives for kids! Give away small prizes such as stickers or water bottles to reward kids for their efforts.
   
• Design activities with input from the kids. They will be more inclined to participate because they want to, not because they have to.
   
• Some tweens prefer activities with a competitive edge, while others simply like playing a game with friends. Find out their preferences. All tweens will experience the rewards of being active if it is enjoyable for them.
   
• Tweens, especially girls, like social interaction with friends. It makes playing actively more fun and offers opportunities for peer recognition and praise.
   
• Praise kids just for trying something new and getting active. Your encouragement means a lot to them.

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Page last reviewed: September 07, 2007
Page last modified: September 07, 2007
Content source: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health