If children have the opportunity to play, they will take it. That may mean running, jumping, skipping rope or hopping back and forth on lines drawn in chalk.

This was the state of play so many of us grew up with and somehow got lost over the decades.

Yes, video games have become ubiquitous. Few children leave home without some device to watch, play or to use to get lost on social media. Then there are the children who grow up in unsafe places, where going outside to play comes with risks.

Unfortunately, the lack of physical activity is adversely affecting children’s health. Experts talk about the increased incidence of diabetes among young people, and worry about the long-term effects of sedentary lives.

The $5 million being provided by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation in Western New York will bring positive change. The goal is to build small, innovative play spaces, custom-designed playgrounds and skate parks in Western New York.

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