Happy Park and Recreation Month from your friends at Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This month, as we reflect on the physical and social-emotional benefits of our local parks, I am excited to share a free new resource that’s one-part storytelling and one-part self-care!

The new Healthier Generation Self-Care Summer Toolkit includes simple ways to prioritize health this season. In celebration of Park and Recreation Month and the theme of Our Park and Recreation Story, below are five of my favorite storytelling activities from the toolkit. I hope these help your community share its story while supporting wellness goals.

1. Set up a “Feel Good Plan” (page 6) art station at your celebrations for a take-home activity that supports the social-emotional health of children and families. Just print the worksheets or provide art supplies and prompts based on the worksheet questions.

2. Invite children and families to use the Vision Board template (page 13) to share how their park makes them happy and healthy. Consider setting up a community mural so everyone can contribute to a large vision board.

3. As a team, brainstorm mealtime conversation starters (page 16) to engage families attending summer meals service, pop-up barbeques and other events. Here are few conversation starters to try:

• • Share a story of your first experience in nature.
  • What new hobby or sport have you learned while playing at our recreation center?
  • Share a special memory from our local park.
  • What is your favorite thing about our park?

4. Foster connectedness through movement and relaxation by hosting a viewing of the free on-demand Self-Care Movement Workshop (page 18). Use the workshop as an opportunity to invite new community members to the conversation of how your park and recreation agency can promote health and wellness.

5. Invite your community to share words of gratitude with your park and recreation staff through handwritten postcards and notes. Watch the Gratitude #SelfCareSunday video (page 18) for inspiration. This summer, if you’re hosting camp, encourage campers to write a thank you note to coaches and camp staff. Don’t miss the words of encouragement from our friends at Kohl’s on pages 2 and 3.

Which of these five ideas will you try? Share your own ideas by tagging us on social using @healthiergen and #OurParkAndRecStory.

Daniel W. Hatcher, MPH, is the director of community partnerships at Alliance for a Healthier Generation.