This “Active Design” Mural was commissioned by the NY Dept of Health and was designed and painted on the PS123 play yard in collaboration with the 5th grade Health Squad with the goal of encouraging kids to be more active. To research for the design, the youth interviewed the staff and students of the school and spent time observing how the play yard was currently being used. For the following two weeks, the group worked together to invent games, mazes, and activities that could be incorporated into the design, while building basic art skills such as color theory, pattern making, and stenciling. The final design includes an area for handball, a relaxation station with a mandala “rug” (designed by one of the students), a giant interactive board game with prompts for physical challenges, an obstacle course in the shape of PS123, a chatting area, and a souped-up version of the game Twister, called “Spinner Parkour”, all connected by a color-changing path that encourages you to move through the yard and explore each area.