May 07, 2009

Crayola kicks off summer with a new campaign calling kids outside

Crayon maker Crayola is launching a campaign that calls on kids to use their imaginations and go outside. The “Crayola Outdoor Challenge,” which debuted May 5, is coinciding with National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, and is aimed at inspiring families to spend more time outside exercising.

The challenge asks consumers to pledge time to play outside every day. Parents can take the pledge at Crayola.com. The site also includes dozens of outdoor game and activity ideas aimed at keeping kids' imaginations and bodies active. The national goal is to reach one million hours of pledged outdoor playtime during the campaign, which runs through the end of summer.

“Outdoor creative play is great for kids' bodies and their minds because it reduces stress, builds confidence and teaches creative thinking skills,” said Vicky Lozano, VP of marketing at Crayola, in a statement. “Getting creative outdoors lets kids make their own fun, and when their imaginations are involved, the fun is endless.”

The campaign supports new additions to the Crayola outdoor creativity tools and includes new Crayola Sidewalk Crayons, as well as a new Crayola Airbrush Painter tool that lets kids paint the sidewalk with washable paint.

To kick off the campaign, Crayola has teamed up with Olympic gold medal athlete Dan O'Brien, who will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the world's fastest game of hopscotch, which currently stands at 1 minute and 23 seconds.