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The prevalence of obesity among children is increasing in the United States (Ogden, Flegal, Carroll, & Johnson, 2002) and has been tied to increased risks of adult obesity and cardiovascular disease (Whitaker, Wright, Pepe, Seidel, & Dietz, 1997). Physical activity, which is defined as “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in caloric expenditure,” increases energy expenditure and can help prevent obesity (Haapanen, Miilunpalo, Pasanen, Oja, & Vuori, 1997). The socioecological perspective suggests that attention to intrapersonal, interpersonal, environmental, and policy factors are necessary to effectively prevent and then reduce the incidence of childhood obesity through physical activity promotion. We posit that systematic attention to the structure and design of recreation programs is a first step for determining best practices in youth activity promotion during recreation times.