The therapeutic effects of a playground apparatus on children with behavioral problems

The " Moonwalk ," an apparatus consisting of an air-filled trampoline, was evaluated as a reward for children with emotional and behavioral problems. Two age groups of hospitalized children, 23 aged 5 to 12 and 12 aged 13 to 18, were evaluated utilizing (a) a 26-item teacher's rating scale; (b) a 4-item, 5-point scale to assign ratings to the students before and after the Moonwalk activity; and (c) the students' response to a 7-item consumer questionnaire. Teacher observers found the younger age group showed improvement in behavior at school after the Moonwalk was offered as a reward. The Moonwalk , as a reinforcement, offered a simple method to improve emotional or behavioral problems in an institutional setting.