LiiNK Center for Healthy Play
Mission & Vision
Our Mission is to advance sustainable healthy living in children and adults through cutting-edge research, innovative community-based programs and dissemination of evidence-based practices focused on the power of unstructured, outdoor play.
Our Vision is to develop a larger percentage of active, healthy and resilient children who become active, healthy and resilient adults.
The LiiNK Project
The LiiNK Project (Let's Inspire Innovation 'N Kids) transforms the school environment for learning and mental health through implementation of unstructured, outdoor play throughout the day and character skill lessons daily.
This is a research-based, inclusive, innovative model developed and directed by Debbie Rhea, Ph.D., to promote mental health, resiliency, happiness, physical skills and body composition, brain development and social interactions, while reducing stress and discipline issues in children.
The Link Center for Healthy Play is an extension of the LiiNK Project and it:
- Educates teachers on the importance of play and the outdoors
- Trains teachers how to implement recess and character lessons daily
- Develops effective classroom environments
- Implement policies and procedures for quality school days
- Improves teacher satisfaction and happiness
- Gathers long-term data on students and teachers, tracking factors like social-emotional health, behavior, attention, teacher retention, body composition, motor skills, strength and stress levels
Location
TCU Rickel Academic Wing
Room 245
Right Moves: A LiiNK Center for Healthy Play Podcast
Inspired by The LiiNK Project and presented by TCU’s LiiNK Center for Healthy Play, the “Right Moves” podcast delves into discussions on holistic well-being for both children and adults. It centers on the state of the U.S. education system, national health and strategies to restore overall wellness.
The podcast aims to spotlight fundamental health principles and introduce evidence-based practices that can be applied effectively in various settings, including homes, workplaces, schools, the medical field and community support groups.
LiiNK Milestones
- 2024 – LiiNK is in three U.S. states across many school districts
- 2022 – Right Moves Podcast launched
- 2021 – Advocacy begins on the state and local levels
- 2019 – Dr. Rhea publishes "Wrong Turns, Right Moves in Education"
- 2018 – TCU College of Education incorporates recess kits in classroom learning based on LiiNK indoor recess procedures
- 2016 – LiiNK adds 10 more public schools, including four more districts in Texas and one in Oklahoma
- 2015 – First four public schools adopt LiiNK (Irving ISD and Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD) in grades K and 1
- 2012 – LiiNK launched in two private schools (TVS and Starpoint), grades K and 1, in Fort Worth, Texas
LiiNK Results
- Student BMI is significantly better in LiiNK schools
- Off-task behaviors have decreased by 40% among LiiNK students while remaining unchanged in control schools
- Empathy is improving and bullying is decreasing in LiiNK students
- LiiNK students:
- Continue to be focused and attentive over the entire school year, especially in the afternoons
- Are significantly stronger in their arms and legs
- Have significantly more motor coordination
- Have lower chronic stress levels
Lab Members
Dr. Rhea has been an educator for the past 43 years, the first 11 years in K-12 physical education and the last 32 years at the university level preparing physical education teachers and researching children through physical activity and play. She is an author, researcher, motivational speaker, educational consultant and behavior change trainer. Dr. Rhea has received national media attention as a result of LiiNK from many different news outlets such as "The Today Show," The Washington Post and NBC's "Nightly News." She has published in numerous journals and presented professionally on many different topics related to living a healthy and productive life. Dr. Rhea has received the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar and the Healthcare Hero Award from the Dallas Business Journal and the Fort Worth Business Press for her research to transform school policies and create intrinsically motivated active, healthy children and adults. Her newest book, “Wrong turns, Right moves in Education,” and her new podcast, “Right Moves,” reflect why the policies and procedures representing LiiNK are needed in all aspects of our lives.
Connor earned her Master’s degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in sport and exercise psychology from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas State University. Connor has an extensive background working with children in various settings such as emergency shelters, elementary schools, foster care homes and the juvenile justice system.
Mark graduated from the University of North Texas with his Ph.D. in educational psychology with a focus on human development and family science. His professional training has provided a strong foundation in human development, particularly socioemotional development. Additionally, he has taught developmental courses, has training in observational ratings of parent-child interactions and aims to build a secure knowledge of research, statistics and measurement.
Rayna is a second-year master's student in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise
psychology. Her thesis focuses on the social and emotional development of elementary
students who receive character development lessons. Her goal is to pursue a Ph.D.
in school psychology.
Lauren is a first-year master’s student with an emphasis in sport and exercise psychology and focuses her research on the impact of a recess intervention on limb imbalances, injuries and optimism in elementary school-aged children. Laurens’s goal is to get a doctorate in sport psychology to become a sport psychologist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) for dancers, health care workers and first responders.
Hailey is a first-year master’s student in kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise and sport psychology and focuses on understanding the relationship that play has on pre-adolescent children by assessing their motor skills and their levels of self-esteem. Hailey’s future career aspirations are to get her doctorate in clinical psychology and to become a sport psychologist.
Dennis Cheek, Ph.D., Hair Cortisol Lab Director
Yan Zhan, Ph.D., Statistician
