Boise's mobile recreation van is something out of a busy parent's fantasies: It drives the fun to the kids, not the other way around.

But the van, a free program started by Boise Parks and Recreation in 2008, is not just a good time on wheels. It is also driving home important messages about fitness and nutrition.

FIGHTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Two years ago, Boise Parks and Recreation started looking for ways to increase the "active" in all its activities.

Like many parents and educators, program administrators were alarmed by the country's rising childhood obesity rates and felt the recreation program was in a good position to help combat them.

"We looked at how we could foster more physical movement in everything we do," said Doug Holloway, recreation superintendent.

Spurred by the new Mayor's Council on Children and Youth, an outgrowth of the nationwide CLEAR initiative (City Leaders Engaged in After School Reform), they identified regions of the city where a mobile recreation program made the most sense.

The children they aimed to serve lacked adequate transportation to after-school activities, did not have easy access to recreation, lived in an area with higher juvenile crime rates and came from low-income families.

PARTNERING UP

The mobile recreation program had an initial budget of $60,000, but to fully realize its goals, the city forged several community partnerships.

Additional funding came from sources such as the University of Idaho Expanded Food and Nutrition Program and Boise Sunrise Rotary Club.

Program support came from the Idaho Foodbank, which feeds the children a free snack, and the Humphreys Diabetes Center, which provides nutrition advice through a registered dietitian contracted with the city.

MOVING AND LEARNING

"The whole idea is, it's exercise, it's movement, but it's fun," said Paul Schoenfelder, recreation coordinator.

Loaded with athletic equipment and art supplies, the mobile recreation van debuted in February as an outdoor after-school program for elementary school students and was expanded during the summer.

The van goes to parks, schools and low-income apartment complexes. A typical visit includes two high-energy fitness activities, one art project and a healthy snack.

Sometimes the kids play an organized sport such as soccer; other times it's a traditional playground game like Capture the Flag.

During the snack - a mix of dairy, fruit and grain products - program coordinators use the treat as a catalyst for a brief lesson on nutrition.

The kids learn the importance of developing good eating habits, incorporating whole foods and having variety in their diet.

One of the first lessons covers the sugar content in soda and energy drinks and how water is a better choice to make when they're thirsty, particularly during vigorous play.

The snack is "a five-minute opportunity to get a couple of points across," Holloway said. "You have to hit them with something very quickly and hope it gets through."

The program exceeded expectations from the start, with the city witnessing more participation in the first 10 weeks than it expected for the entire spring and summer.

It's been a hit with parents and school administrators, too.

"It fills such a great need for us," said Kay Hansen, principal of Jefferson Elementary School on the Boise Bench.

"Children have the opportunity to participate in organized activities that they wouldn't have access to otherwise. They get a lot of the guidance they need."

When the van starts its engine in 2009, junior high students will be on board as well.

"We've got to do our part," Holloway said. "Hopefully we'll see kids more active and making healthier choices."

Chad Dryden: 672-6734