​A hike or trip to the park with family or friends is a great way to stay active and healthy. Arizona is known for its outdoor activities, but unfortunately not everyone has an equal opportunity to experience them. Some places in our state have a shortage of parks, trails, and public spaces. Investing in these types of areas can have major benefits.

​November marks the beginning of the season of giving. No one is too young to learn the importance of helping others. This holiday season, take your family out to assist those in need, all the while imparting habits and compassion to last a lifetime. There are family-friendly activities and organizations across Arizona for you and your loved ones to get involved with, so here are a few ideas to get you started!

​Leaves are changing, but healthy habits don’t have to! With fall weather comes many exciting opportunities for families to have fun together and stay active.

​​Getting enough exercise in the heat of the summer might seem like a chore, but there are tons of imaginative ways to get moving indoors and outdoors year-round. Get your play on and find fun ways to exercise with these weird and wacky ideas: 

​July is National Park and Recreation Month, and that means it’s time to get your play on! The National Recreation and Park Association is encouraging everyone to stay active all month long by visiting local parks and recreation centers. 

​The summer heat is here, and with it comes the challenge of staying active while keeping cool. If you live in the Valley, it can be especially difficult to squeeze in physical activity while avoiding extreme temperatures. Health still happens in the summer! Beat the heat and get moving all season long with these fun and affordable activities. 

​A big part of our work here at Pinnacle Prevention is ensuring that all Arizonans have access to safe places to stay active, connect with their communities and soak up the benefits of open and public areas. That’s why we’re taking a deeper look into the benefits of public spaces this month, and spending some time to share inspiring discussions, resources and projects across our state and country.
 
Increasingly, public spaces are being recognized as crucial ingredients for developing successful cities. They can generate economic and social development opportunities, and developing these places is a great way to cultivate a community’s identity through positive change. A city or town that provides its communities with public spaces is providing its residents with places to meet new people and see old friends, places to have events, places to encourage culture, and ultimately, places to stay active and enjoy themselves!

Springtime is officially here! Sunshine is abundant, flowers are in bloom, and cool breezes fill the air. While Arizona in the spring is difficult to beat, springtime in the desert seems to come and go in the blink of an eye. In just a couple of months, triple digit temperatures will make it nearly impossible to exercise for very long outside. As the weather here hits a comfortable balance between hot and cold, now is an excellent time to get out and be active outdoors. Celebrate the last week of National Nutrition Month with a healthy dose of physical activity!
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Regular exercise and a balanced diet do wonders for mental and physical well-being, but did you know that simply spending time in the great outdoors touts many of the same benefits? It’s true: nature offers boosts to mood, energy levels, and immunity. This spring, add an extra boost of wellness to your workout with some open-air fun, and be sure to fuel that fun with nutritious snacks. 
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