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A Policy Action Plan Connecting Today’s Kids with Nature Connecting Today’s Kids with Nature

Kids outdoor education

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Page 1: Kids outdoor education

A PolicyAction Plan

ConnectingToday’s Kids withNature

ConnectingToday’s Kids withNature

Page 2: Kids outdoor education

Connecting Today’s Kids with NatureAPolicyAction Plan

May 2008

Written by Heather White, Esq., Director of EducationAdvocacy

© 2008 by the National Wildlife Federation. All rights reserved.

Larry J. SchweigerPresident and Chief Executive Officer

National Wildlife Federation

AcknowledgmentsWe especially thank Kevin Coyle, Eliza Russell, Allen Cooper, Patrick Fitzgearld,

Julie Gustafson and BetheAlmeras for their many valuable contributions.

Special thanks to Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, and the founder of theChildren and Nature Network (www.cnnaturenet.org), an excellent resource for research andstrategies on connecting children to nature, and the more than 200 organizations involved inthe “No Child Left Inside™” coalition, www.nclicoalition.org, that have been advocating for

federal funding for environmental education and promoting environmental literacy.

Cover and back cover images by NWF/Charlie Archambault.

Graphic design by Sarah Ornstein, DesignS By [email protected]

NATIONALWILDLIFE FEDERATION11100Wildlife Center Drive

Reston, VA 20190703-438-6000www.nwf.org

Page 3: Kids outdoor education

Message from the President

Looking out of my home-office window, I can see down a long forested valleyacross North Park to a far-away place appropriately called “wildwood” where ninedecades ago, Rachel Carson and her mother Maria roamed the Pine Creekbottoms, explored rock outcrops and woodlands, listened to birds, and discoveredspring wildflowers and insects. Those hours in the fields of western Pennsylvaniaprofoundly influenced one of the 20th century’s greatest women by fostering a richsense of wonder and profound love of nature.

Perhaps reflecting on her wildwood walks with her mother, Rachel wrote later inlife, “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder he needs thecompanionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him thejoy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.”

Rachel would be deeply saddened by what has happened to the traditionalconnection betweenAmericans and the outdoors, something that is markedly

different from anything in our past. The evidence is everywhere. The average child today spendsmore than six hours a day watching TV, playing video games, or operating a computer. Meanwhile,the amount of time U.S. children now spend outdoors has declined by 50% in the past 20 years.

An important connection between being outdoors and caring for nature is being broken, and itgreatly concerns me. Children who fish, camp and spend time in the wild before age 11 are muchmore likely to grow up to be environmentally committed as adults, according to Cornell Universityresearchers. It was for me.

As a child, I spent many hours outdoors with my father, who was a dog trainer and hunter. He diedmore than 30 years ago, yet when I go to the woods and smell a familiar plant or hear a distant crowon a crisp fall day, my memories of being with Dad come flooding back in rich detail, as if it wereyesterday. In those moments I can hear his voice clearly and I can see his ruddy face in the goldenlight of an early morning sun. I cherish those memories.

Although many environmental advocates speak ofearly experiences in nature that formed theirconnection, people of all professions often talk fondlyof childhood experiences outdoors. Most adultAmericans had a childhood where they could “gooutside and play,” four little words rarely heard today.

What will become of wild places if children know littleof the mystery, the grace, the interconnectedness of allliving things? How will we address global warmingand other environmental threats if we do not engageand prepare the next generation for these monumentalchallenges? We only save what we love and we onlylove what we know.

i

Exploring nature in your own backyard.

NWF President & CEOLarry Schweiger holding hisgrandson, Thadeus.

©Schweiger

©NWF/C

harlie

Archambault.

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As one of the largest conservation organizations in thecountry, National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is committed tohelping children “rediscover the joy, the excitement, and themystery” of our world.

With over 70 years of experience inspiring and fostering aconnection with nature and wildlife, NWF continues to leadthe way. Our award-winning Ranger Rick™ magazine hassparked curiosity about nature and wildlife in generations ofchildren. Every month it delivers engaging stories, wildlifeimages, and ideas for fun outdoor activities. In response toincreasing demand for age appropriate magazines aboutanimals for younger children, NWF also offers Your Big Backyard™ for families with children 3-8years old andWild Animal Baby™ for families with children 12 months to 3 years old.

With tens of thousands of Certified Wildlife Habitats™ and Schoolyard Habitats®, our wildlifegardening programs help individuals and families attract birds, butterflies and other local wildlife tobackyards across the country. Amore recent addition to the suite of fun family outdoor activities isNWF’s Great American Backyard Campout™, which is connecting families, neighborhoods andentire communities through camping, by sharing campfire stories and eating s’mores.

To encourage parents and caregivers to make time for children to “go outside and play,” NWFlaunched Green Hour, www.nwf.org/kidsoutside, a source of information and inspiration to createdaily free time outside for children.

NWF and our partners are also working to engage policymakers on the local, state, and nationallevel by:

• Advocating for increased funding and opportunities for environmental education, a provenstrategy to enhance a child’s connection to the outdoors, improve academic performance, andheighten interest in science and math;

• Calling upon our public health agencies to promote and educate parents on the importance ofoutdoor play for our children’s well-being; and

• Increasing opportunities for outdoor recreation by promoting better community design for kid-friendly natural play areas and green spaces for children to grow and to connect.

We can’t do this alone. With your help, we can make sure America’s children carry with them astrong connection to nature. These are the memories they will carry with them fondly for a lifetime.You may even discover that you helped the next Rachel Carson find her wildwood.

Larry Schweiger,President & CEO of the National Wildlife Federation

NWF has more than 70 years of experienceinspiring and fostering a connection betweenchildren and nature.

ii

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iii

Inspir ing Americans to protect wildl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

A Parent’s PerspectiveAs I walked through the hallway of my daughter’s elementary school, memoriesof my own school days came flooding back. For years, my day began by securingbooks to my bike rack and riding through the neighborhood to school which wasonly a few blocks away. It is only now that I understand how deep an impact mytime riding bikes, playing in the woods, and exploring the neighborhood streamhad on my development as a person.

As I learn more about the health benefits associated with spending unstructuredtime in the outdoors, I am even more convinced of the importance of adding timeoutdoors—a Green Hour®—to our family routine.

Outdoor physical activity is good for our lungs,growing bones and our hearts – in a multitudeof ways. For me, playing outside opened myheart up to a love of nature, a sense ofstewardship and responsibility for other livingcreatures. I came to understand theinterconnectedness of the natural world in avery personal way.

As a parent, it is now my responsibility tofoster this sense of wonder and stewardship inmy children. Providing them experiences in theoutdoors is an important way to pass alongthese values. And I believe that doing so withfriends and other families is a great way tohave fun and create meaningful relationships.

Exploring nature can provide key bondingchances for parent and child. JaimeBerman Matyas with her two daughters.

Today’s Reality

©ShutterStock

©Matyas

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Like most parents, I feel forever challenged by time.Ensuring teeth get brushed twice a day, three mealsare eaten and homework completed is a dailychallenge. Yet as I think about my commitment as aparent to raising healthy children with self-confidence and strong values, I believe there ismuch more to being a good parent than managingthese daily routines. Over the past few years I’vemade a concerted effort to integrate outdooractivities as part of our family’s daily regimen. Now,our favorite setting for relaxed family time isoutdoors, not in front of a television. Whether it’s aSaturday morning hike, planting our garden, or lyingin the backyard playing the cloud game, theoutdoors has provided an ideal setting for my familyto tune out other influences and connect with eachother and our environment. There’s alwayssomething for us to explore and discover together.

When discussing outdoor exploration, a consistent concern raised by other parents is safety. The “I can’tlet my kids play outside alone” dilemma. I’ve thought a lot about this. While concerns aboutunsupervised play outdoors are real, encountering stranger danger is much more likely amongst childrensurfing the Internet than riding bikes through the neighborhood. While some parents may no longer feelcomfortable allowing their children the same freedom to explore the outdoors alone and unsupervised,there are many other ways to connect kids with nature: through community and volunteer projects;scheduled but unstructured group activities; school activities; and family outings. Getting unplugged andoutside is good for adults too!

There’s more that can be done at school, too. Giventhe importance of unstructured time outdoors to ourchildren’s overall development and well-being, weshould expect a portion of the school day to bededicated to outdoor and nature education.Unfortunately, with current constraints on schools,there is less time for recess and physical activity inschool settings. And yet, the research continues totell us of the positive relationship betweenacademic performance and creativity andunstructured outdoor play and exploration. Asmembers of the school community, we can helpimprove our local education system by gettinginvolved. We can help remove barriers toconnecting children and the natural world. Morephysical activity is also believed to have a positiveinfluence on a suite of health issues facing societytoday, such as obesity, ADHD, and diabetes.Unfortunately, the current trend in many schoolsystems is to reduce time for PE, recess and field

National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

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Connect ing Today’s Kids with Nature

Simple activities like swinging can be a scheduled activity fortoday’s kids.

Enjoying a quiet moment with family can be a treat for today’sbusy families.

©Matyas

©Matyas

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trips. As parents, we have thepower to make a positivedifference in our children’seducation. We can get involved ata local level by volunteering tohelp create a schoolyard habitat,hosting outdoor school events, orspeaking out for the importance offunding hands-on environmentaleducation. We can also make ameaningful difference at the stateand national levels by advocatingfor improvements to currenteducation policy and funding tosupport more time outdoors andmore environmental education.Both will better prepare ourchildren for the future.

As a mother and conservationist, I understand the importance of creating opportunities for my childrento have time to connect with nature. Healthy children and healthy families need time together in theout-of-doors. We must share responsibility for reversing the concerning trend of children getting lessunstructured time outdoors and becoming disconnected with nature. To raise healthy children and futuregenerations that have a concern for the natural world, we must take action now. Make a familycommitment to spend regular time out-of-doors – a family Green Hour® – volunteer to lead outdoorprograms at a local school, and advocate at the local state or federal level for more funding and policysupport for children to have outdoor education.

As my girls re-tell stories of our campouts, their berry picking adventures or the interesting creaturesthey found under a rotting log on a recent walk through the woods, I smile as I know that theseactivities will forever have an impact on who they are and the kind of adults they will become.

Jaime Berman MatyasExecutive Vice President and Chief Operating OfficerNational Wildlife Federation

A Pol icy Act ion Plan

v

Inspir ing Americans to protect wildl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

The pure childhood joy of playing should not be taken for granted but seen as avalue for all American children to experience.

©Matyas

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Connecting Today’s Kids with NatureAPolicyAction Plan

Table of ContentsMessage from the President ..........................................................................................iToday’s Reality ..............................................................................................................iiiSummary ........................................................................................................................1

Understanding Our Children’s Nature Deficit ..........................................................7Nature Deficit DefinedWhyWe Keep Our Kids IndoorsWhat is at Stake?

Solutions to Reverse Nature Deficit and Connect Our Children to Nature ........15Connect Kids to Nature through Environmental EducationPromote Outdoor Play through our Public Health SystemsIncrease Opportunities for Outdoor Play through Better Design andAccessEncourage Parents to Build in Time for Outdoor Play through a NationalMedia and Educational Campaign

What You Can Do ........................................................................................................20TakeAction in Your CommunityTakeAction in Your StateTakeAction at the National Level

Endnotes ........................................................................................................................25

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harlie

Archambault.

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Summary

Most of us rememberhearing those four little words throughout our childhood. It is not possible for usto imagine childhood without powerful memories of climbing trees, exploring theneighborhood, or just watching the clouds.

Yet recent research shows that children are spending half as much time outside asthey did 20 years ago. Today’s kids spend six and a half hours a day “pluggedinto” electronic media. In his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louvdescribed this American trend. He gave this alarming problem a powerful name.Today’s kids suffer from a “nature deficit.”

There are many contributors to nature deficit. Often parents’ fear of strangerskeeps kids indoors. Some parents worry about bug bites, bee stings, and poisonivy. Many children simply do not have an “outside” to play in because of the lackof playgrounds, parks, and open space. Others cannot get to a safe outside areabecause of busy roads and intersections. Liability concerns have limitedtraditional outdoor play activities like climbing trees and building forts. Videogames and other electronics lure kids inside. In some communities, kids are sooverscheduled that they just do not have time to play unless it is through anorganized sport.

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is committed to connecting children tonature. Children should have access to and time for play in nature. A right forunstructured play. A right to create and explore. A right to experience the senseof wonder of being outside.

“Go outside and play.”

1

Inspir ing Americans to protect wildl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

“If a child is to keep alive his

inborn sense of wonder, he

needs the companionship

of at least one adult who

can share it, rediscovering

with him the joy, excitement

and mystery of the world we

live in.”

—Rachel Carson,Author of Silent Spring

©NWF/C

harlie

Archambault.

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Connect ing Today’s Kids with Nature

National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

What is atStake?The Health of Our ChildrenNature deficit has had profoundimpacts on our children’s mental andphysical health. Over the past 20years, time spent playing outdoors hasbeen cut in half, but the childhoodobesity rate has more than doubledand the adolescent obesity rate hastripled. Doctors warn that, for the firsttime in American history, lifeexpectancy may actually decreasebecause of the health impacts of thecurrent childhood obesity epidemic.

Research has linked childhood obesityto a lack of play time outdoors.Although physical activity throughorganized sports can help addresschildhood obesity, the medicalcommunity recognizes thatunstructured free time outdoors hasunique health benefits to children.Children who play outside are moreactive and more physically fit thanthose who don’t. Time in natureimproves a chld’s academicperformance, concentration, balance,coordination, and self-esteem. Recentstudies indicate that playing outside

even reduces the severity ofsymptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),which affects millions of Americanchildren.

The EconomyThe economic impacts of naturedeficit are significant. The costs of thechildhood obesity epidemic to ourpublic health systems could reach$100 billion annually. Hunting andfishing licenses sales have stagnated,resulting in severe cuts to stateresource agencies’ budgets. A declinein outdoor retail sales, a $730 billion ayear industry sector, may soon follow.

The Future of AmericanConservationFrom the redwood forests to the GulfStream waters, exploring the diverselandscapes of America has shapedwho we are as Americans. Childrenwho spend time in nature are morelikely to have pro-environmentalattitudes as adults. Time spent innature with an adult important to thechild often shapes a child’s long-termenvironmental ethic. If this naturedeficit continues unabated, we mayface a dearth of environmental

Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh SShhoowwss::EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall EEdduuccaattiioonn::

Youth spend an average of six hours daily connected to electronic devices.

n Good for overall studentperformance

n Great at motivating students

n Critical thinking skillsconsistently improve

n Math skills consistentlyimprove

n Life science skillsconsistentlyimprove

n Standardized testperformance improves

n Supports and improves otherscience learning

n Supports language-artsdevelopment

n Under-resourcedstudents showincreased improvementover peersSources: (Bartosh 2004); (Athman & Monroe 2004).

©ShutterStock

©ShutterStock

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leaders, professionals, and advocatesas we try to conquer futureenvironmental challenges such asglobal warming. We may also lose aunique aspect of our national cultureand identity.

Solutions toReversingNature Deficitand ConnectingChildren toNatureReversing nature deficit andconnecting children to nature will takeconcerted policy action on the local,state, and federal levels. Since itsinception in 1936, National WildlifeFederation (NWF) has worked todevelop public policies that protect theenvironment and increase outdoorrecreation opportunities for children.As part of our campaign to connectchildren to nature, we will:

Connect Kids to Naturethrough EnvironmentalEducation NWF will advocate for better fundingand access to environmentaleducation; hands-on environmental

education can connect children to thenatural world. In addition to providingthis important connection, there aremany academic benefits toenvironmental education, includinghigher test scores in math, reading,and language arts. Studies show thatintegrated environmental educationprograms also increase children’scritical thinking skills, self-confidence, and academic motivation.Environmental education can alsoserve as an educational equalizeracross race, ethnicity, andsocioeconomic levels.

Promote Outdoor Playthrough our Public HealthSystems NWF will encourage federal and statepublic health leaders to educateparents and caregivers about theimportance of play in tacklingchildhood obesity and improvingchildren’s mental health. The medicalcommunity recognizes that outdoorplay time is critical to children’sphysical, mental, emotional, andsocial well-being. Well-child visitsreflect an important opportunity to

educate parents that down timeoutside can result in healthier, happierkids. We will ask healthcareprofessionals to also considerrecommending outdoor play foroverstressed kids and for childrendiagnosed with ADHD.

Increase Opportunities forOutdoor Recreation throughBetter Design and AccessThe use of natural landscapes inplayground design leads to more activeand more creative play. In manycommunities, children do not haveaccess to safe outdoor play areas.Connecting city parks throughgreenways and other green spaces canprovide natural areas for children toplay and increase wildlife habitat.NWF will target cities in our nation’smigratory bird flyways to establishthese green links that also serve aswildlife corridors. By working withdesigners, city planners, and localelected officials, NWF will work toincrease wildlife habitat and ensurethat children have access to green, kid-friendly areas in their communities forunstructured play outside.

A Pol icy Act ion P lan

3

Inspir ing Americans to protect wi ldl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

”We talk a lot about our

children’s future, but not

that much about children.

It’s time for big conservation

organizations to actively

engage children and work

to protect them, to

energize them, and to

cultivate their creativity in

protecting our world.”

—Richard Louv,Author of Last Child in the Woods

Physical activity, like bike riding, decreases health concerns such as diabetes.

©NWF/C

harlie Archambault.

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Encourage Parents toBuild in Regular Time forOutdoor Play throughGreenHour®, a NationalEducational Campaign Parents and policymakers can make adifference to get children toexperience all the benefits of free timein nature. NWF’s national media andeducational campaign, GreenHour®,helps parents with simple suggestionson how to play outside. To giveparents and caregivers theinformation, tools, and inspiration toget their kids outside, NWF hascreated an online resource,www.GreenHour.org. NWF and itsaffiliated state organizations will alsoform new “No Child Left Inside™”coalitions and work with existinggroups of health professionals,educators, day care providers, after-school care providers, businessleaders, anglers, hunters,environmental leaders, and electedofficials to take collective action toconnect children with nature.

What You Can DoTake Action Close to HomeOn a personal level, solutions toconnect children to nature are prettysimple. Research shows thatchildhood experiences in nature withan adult family member or mentorhelp to shape a long-term connectionwith nature. Spend time with yourkids outdoors. Consider the followingactions:

• Experience Green Hour®. NWFrecommends that parents give theirkids a "Green Hour" every day,a time for unstructured play andinteraction with the natural world.This can take place in a garden, abackyard, the park down the street,or any place that provides safe and

accessible green spaces wherechildren can learn and play. VisitGreenHour.org for ideas on howto connect children to nature.

• Garden for wildlife withchildren. NWF has established agardening for wildlife programthat is a perfect way to share yourlove of the outdoors with childrenand foster a future connection tonature. Not only does it give kidsa chance to get their hands dirty,the program also helps create anunderstanding of how the thingspeople plant impact theenvironment; for example, howreplacing grass lawns with nativewildflowers, shrubs, and treesprovides a nurturing refuge forwildlife.

• Encourage your local school toparticipate in NWF’sSchoolyard Habitats® Program,an integrated environmentaleducation program where kidsplant wildlife-friendly vegetationon school grounds. It gets kidsoutside, educates them about thenatural world, and has been shownto improve their scores onstandardized tests.

• Volunteer in a local park, school,day care center, after-school carefacility, or nature center. Work ina community garden, participate ina trash clean up, perform trailmaintenance, or support parksafety efforts.

• Play with a child outdoors.Research shows that spendingtime outdoors with children canhelp shape their long-termenvironmental ethic. Free play innature also increases physicalfitness and reduces anxiety. Gofishing. Take a hike. Or just go fora walk and look at the clouds.

Take Action in YourCommunityThe consequences of nature deficit arefelt most keenly at the local level.Engage your local government,neighborhood associations, and othercommunity-based organizations to:

• Get the word out. Educate healthprofessionals, teachers, day careproviders, after-school careproviders, city planners, businessleaders, and environmentalprofessionals, and urge them to

Connect ing Today’s K ids wi th Nature

4

National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

Enjoying nature as a family has long-reaching effects in children.

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harlie Archambault.

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incorporate nature deficit solutionsinto their everyday practices.

• Work with local planningcommissions and homeowners’associations to create zoningpolicies and incentives toencourage more kid-friendly greenspaces for creative play anddesignate special areas wherechildren can participate intraditional outdoor activities suchas climbing trees and fort-building,which have been limited becauseof liability concerns.

• Support opportunities andfunding for local environmentaleducation, including asking localschool board members to provideinformation on currentenvironmental education efforts,plans to update programs, andways to increase funding forprograms that help teachers linkstudents to the outdoors.

• Team up with local lawenforcement to ensure that parentsare adequately informed about thesafety of public parks and playareas and to increase opportunitiesfor kids to play safely outside.

• Create a local “No Child LeftInside™” Day or participate inother community awarenessevents, such as NWF’s GreatAmerican Backyard Campout™,NWF’s Wildlife Watch Day,National Get Outdoors Day, andInternational Migratory Bird Day®.

• Reach out to after-schoolprograms to see how you can helpthem create opportunities for morefree play time outside for kids.Research shows that the vastmajority of children are enrolled insome kind of after-schoolprogram. Provide incentives and

opportunities for field trips to localnature centers, supply tools for anafter-school facility garden project,or give materials for a community-based environmental educationprogram.

Take Action in Your StateState governments are responsible forthe majority of public policies that canmake our children’s lives healthy,happy, and more active. Stategovernments should considerintegrated policy reforms that includeconnecting children to naturethroughout the state health, socialservice, natural resources, andeducation systems. There are a numberof meaningful actions your governorand state legislature should take:

• Host a “No Child Left Inside™”forum to discuss ways to connectchildren to nature with health careprofessionals, business leaders,nonprofit organizations, educators,after-school providers, urbanplanners, hunters and anglers,conservation groups, and state andlocal officials to create access tosafe outdoor play areas andeducate parents on the benefits ofunstructured free play.

• Institute mandatory statestandards for minimum exercisein school that focus on outdooractivities for children.

• Pass state environmentaleducation legislation to promoteplace-based and outdoorenvironmental education andincrease funding for updatingenvironmental educationprograms.

• Require public health andsocial service agencies toeducate parents about the benefitsof outdoor play to children’s healthto fight obesity and make kids’lives better.

• Encourage day care and pre-kindergarten certificationprograms to include education onthe benefits of time outside forchildren.

• Provide more funding forexisting state programs thatpromote recess, access to parks,camp experiences, and other waysto get kids outdoors.

• Declare a Children’s OutdoorBill of Rights to ensure childrenhave the right to experience all thebenefits of unstructured free timein nature.

A Pol icy Act ion P lan

5

Inspir ing Americans to protect wi ldl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

Know theFACTSSSuummmmeerr VVaaccaattiioonn::

AA NNeeww EExxppeerriieennccee ffoorr aann IInnddoooorrGGeenneerraattiioonn

Research showsthat school children

are actually gainingweight during summer

vacation now. Communitiesshould respond by:

n Connecting kids to watersafety classes and increaseopportunities for swimlessons.

n Sponsoring more day campsat local parks.

n Working with local libraries toencourage kids to read aboutthe outdoors, then go outside.

Source: (Von Hippel 2007).

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Take Action at the National LevelThe federal government has animportant role in creatingopportunities for children to playoutdoors. Several federal policyactions can make a difference inconnecting children with nature, andyour federal officials should work to:

• Pass proposed federallegislation, such as the “NoChild Left Inside™” amendmentto the “No Child Left Behind” Act,to get environmental educationback in the classroom and giveincentives to states to createenvironmental literacy plans.

• Reauthorize the NationalEnvironmental Education Act toupdate environmental educationstandards and increase criticalfunding for environmentaleducation.

• Form a Twenty-first CenturyPresidential Commission on theGreat Outdoors to make outdoortime part of children’s dailyexperiences, and more fullyexplore the impacts of naturedeficit on public health.

• Increase the federal recreationbudget and review current federalagency programs and assess howthey can connect children tonature.

• Use existing federal publichealth programs to educateparents on the importance ofoutdoor play to children’s health.

• Call upon the Surgeon Generaland Secretary of Health andHuman Services to ask parentsto make a commitment tochildren’s health by encouragingtheir children to experience dailyfree play time outside.

ConclusionTogether, we can connect our childrento nature and ensure that the nextgeneration has the opportunity, thespace, and the encouragement to “GoOutside and Play.”

Connect ing Today’s K ids wi th Nature

6

National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

Know theFACTSResearch Shows:n Kids are spending less time outdoors than they did 20 years ago.

n Play outdoors can increase creativity, reduce stress, and lead toincreased physical fitness.

n Viewing nature can reduce physiological stressresponse, increase levels of interest and attention,and decrease feelings of fear, anger, or aggression.

n Early-life outdoor experiences—whether alone or withothers—have been identified as the most importantfactor in developing anenvironmental ethic.

n Short-term exposure to naturalareas through brief walks andeven looking at images ofnature has been found tohave positive effects onmood, reducing feelings ofanger and anxiety.

Sources: (Juster et al 2004); (Burdette & Whitaker 2005); (Kuo &Sullivan 2001).

Children who have a significant experience with nature by age 11 are more likely tovalue nature as an adult.

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Inspir ing Americans to protect wi ldl i fe for our chi ldren’s future.

Understandingour Children’sNature Deficit

“When children become

truly engaged with the

natural world at a young

age, the experience is likely

to stay with them in a

powerful way – shaping

their subsequent

environmental path.”

—Professor Nancy Wells, Cornell University

©Shutterstock.

Nature Deficit DefinedChildren are no longer spending time playing outside. Today’s kids spend six anda half hours a day “plugged into” electronic media.1 Research shows that childrenare spending half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago.2 Meanwhile, thechildhood obesity rate has more than doubled and the adolescent obesity rate hastripled. Doctors warn that, for the first time in American history, life expectancymay actually decrease because of the health impacts of the current childhoodobesity epidemic.3 In his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louvdescribed this American trend. He gave this alarming problem a powerful name.Today’s kids suffer from a “nature deficit.” 4

Why We Keep Our Kids IndoorsThe contributors to nature deficit are broad: fear of strangers; traffic hazards and alack of safe open space; liability; concerns about insect bites, bee stings, and itchyplants; and competition for outdoor time from video games and electronic media.

Stranger Danger Many parents are concerned about strangers harming children in public spaces,but the stark reality is that kids may be safer playing outdoors than at homesurfing the Internet. Although the risk of stranger abduction is very remote, andstranger danger incidents have actually decreased over the last 20 years, manyparents and caregivers have decided that it is just too dangerous for children to beoutside on their own—especially if the child is out of sight.5 Many parents allowtheir children to play indoors on the Internet unsupervised even though one out offive children (10 to 17 years old) receive unwanted sexual solicitations whilesurfing online.6 Nearly one-third of teens have talked about meeting someone inperson who they have only met through the Internet; 12% of teens have agreed tomeet a stranger that they met online. Sixty percent have filled out questionnaires

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and given their personalinformation, such as address,telephone number, and school name.Children who use the Internet are alsomore likely to be exposed toinappropriately sexual or violentcontent. “Nine out of 10 childrenbetween eight and 15 have viewedinappropriate content on the Internet,often unintentionally while doinghomework or filesharing with friends.” 7

Traffic & Lack of Open Space Children have fewer outdoor places toplay in general, and in existing greenareas, few kids can bike or walk totheir play areas without facingdangerous traffic hazards. Safe, naturalareas for children to play outdoorshave significantly decreased over thelast 20 years.8A recent report trackedthe space that children were allowed toroam over four generations. As aneight-year-old in 1926, the great-grandfather was allowed to roam forsix miles unaccompanied. In 2007, hiseight-year-old great-grandson couldonly go 300 yards from home on hisown. In fact, the space that childrenhave to roam around freely hasdecreased by 88% since 1970. 9 Only36% of today’s parents allow their kids

to walk or bike to school by age ten,compared to 56% of the parents whowalked or biked to school when theywere ten.10 Road traffic interferes withsafe outside play opportunities, and ithas been deemed “the one universalfactor above all others” that has limitedchildren’s physical space in which toplay.11 Yet, policies that promotewalking and biking in communitiesactually increase pedestrian safety.12

Liability Even in areas where children areallowed to play, many of theiractivities have been severely limitedby fears of liability for injuries.Homeowners’ associations oftenprevent kids from participating intraditional ways in nature – fort-building, playing in ditches, anddigging in the dirt to make mud pies.In some outdoor summer camps,children aren’t allowed to climbtrees.13 In other green areas, well-meaning adults often admonish kidswho go off the trail to explore. In thefew school systems that still offerrecess, many districts havesignificantly curtailed outdooractivities because of liability concernsassociated with “active play” such astag. Other school districts haveremoved outdoor playgroundequipment like swings and seesawsfrom fear of lawsuits. 14

Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh SShhoowwss::

n Spending time outdoors can lessen the symptoms ofAttention Deficit Disorder/ADHD.

n Viewing nature from a window can increase girls’concentration and self-discipline.

n Time playing in natural green spaces can improvemotor skills, including coordination.

n Environmental education can increase science testscores.

n 30 minutes outside a day can result in a betternights’ sleep.

Sources: (Fjortoft 2004); (Touchette 2007); (Taylor 2001).

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The lack of urban planning over the past decades has reduced green space and accessto nature in neighborhoods.

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Video Games and Electronic Media As kids spend more time “plugged in”to electronic media, outdoor time hasdecreased by 50% and childhoodobesity has skyrocketed. According tothe Kaiser Family Foundation, today’schildren spend an average of six and ahalf hours a day using media –including TV, computers, DVDplayers, and mp3 players. Over aseven-day week, kids log in around 44hours of media use – close to a full-time job worth of input.15 Eight- to 10-year-olds watch an average of morethan four hours of TV a day.16 TheUniversity of Michigan has found a50% decrease in outdoor time over thelast 20 years.17 The more television achild watches, the less time the childspends outside playing.18 Researchshows that playing video games andwatching TV has negative impacts onphysical health, and violent mediacontent negatively impacts children.19

For example, pre-schoolers whowatch violent television tend to bemore antisocial and aggressive duringschool years.20

Bugs, Bites, Stings, and Itchy PlantsMany parents are concerned aboutbugs, bee stings, poison ivy, and otherhazards.21 These concerns are verymanageable. Long sleeved shirts andinsect repellent can protect from bugsand mosquito-borne illnesses. Poisonoak and poison sumac are readilyrecognizable, and the right clothingcan help limit exposure to these itchyplants.

The Overscheduled Child The good news is that today’sgeneration of parents is often morefocused and more family-orientedthan that of the baby boomergeneration.22 These parents are makingconscious decisions to spend moretime with their family. The bad newsis that in the quest to be perfectparents, today’s parents may beunaware of the importance of play.

Many children’s lives are way over-scheduled, and, like adults, they areinvolved in too many activities.23 Themedical community observed in a2007 study that kids are often “beingraised in an increasingly hurried andpressured style that may limit theprotective benefits they would gainfrom child-driven play.”24 TheAmerican Academy of Pediatricswarns that overscheduling of childrenis becoming the “culture and evenexpectation of parents.”25 Dr. AlvinRosenfeld has termed this culturalphenomenon “hyper-parenting,”which “compels parents to becomerelentlessly self-sacrificing, enrollingchildren in activities so early so they

can excel at academics, athletics orspecialties.”26 The media, themarketing of children’s toys and so-called educational products, and theincreasingly rigorous collegeadmission process contribute to thishyper-parenting phenomenon.27 As aresult, today’s children are feelingmore stress, more anxiety, and morepressure to be perfect. From pianolessons to soccer practice, many oftoday’s kids shuttle back and forthfrom activity to activity and have veryfew chances for outdoor play.

What is at Stake?The Health of OurChildren Children are not spending timeoutdoors, which results in severeimpacts on their mental and physicalhealth. The medical community hasdeclared that “play (or some availablefree time in the case of older childrenand adolescents) is essential to thecognitive, physical, social, andemotional well-being of children andyouth.”28 Because of the importanthealth benefits of play, the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics hasrecommended that children spend 60minutes each day in unstructured playtime.29 The CDC recommends thatchildren and adolescents participate inat least 60 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity most daysof the week.30

Yet, for many American children, theexperience of playing outdoors is atrisk of going extinct.31 Today’s kidsspend six and a half hours a day

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Children’s time outside has decreasedby 50% over the last 20 years.

“I like to play indoors better

‘cause that’s where all the

electric outlets are.”

– A Fourth Grader in San Diego.

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“plugged in” to some form ofelectronic media, and children havedecreased their time outdoors by 50%since 1981.32 Children ages three to 12spend one percent of their timeoutdoors, but they spend 27 percent oftheir time just watching TV.33Incredibly, children are now actuallygaining weight over summer break, atime most often associated withoutdoor activities like swimming,hiking, and simply playing outside.34This lack of unstructured free timeoutdoors has serious consequences forchildren’s health.

Outdoor Play is Differentthan Participating inOrganized Sports Although participation in organizedsports is beneficial to children for avariety of health reasons, it does nothave the same impact as unstructuredfree play outside. Often childrenspend more time on the sidelines thanplaying in the game. In contrast, playoutside involves everyone.35 Playoutside enhances children’s criticalthinking skills and creativity. Unlikeorganized sports, unstructured play

outdoors does not emphasize winningor losing.36 Some doctors also fearthat families experience additionalstress levels when their ultra-competitive children’s sportsschedules require travel to awaygames.37 Furthermore, doctors warnthat parents should not simply rely onorganized sports to ensure kids getenough physical activity. Instead, themedical community urges parents toexercise with their children in theoutdoors to promote an active, healthylifestyle.38

The Physical HealthImpacts: Outdoor“Play” Instead ofExercise Given the positive associationsconnected to outdoor play andnegative connotation with “exercise,”experts recommend that we changethe terminology to get kids to exerciseoutside. Instead of using the term“exercise,” we need to encouragechildren to “play.”39

Lack of Play Time Outdoorsis Linked to ChildhoodObesityThere is growing concern thatchildren’s lack of time outdoors islinked to the national obesityepidemic.40 The prevalence ofoverweight children ages six to 11 hasmore than doubled in the last 20years, increasing from 7% in 1980 to18.8% in 2004. The rate amongadolescents aged 12 to 19 more thantripled, increasing from 5% to17.1%.41 Doctors warn that, for thefirst time in American history, lifeexpectancy may actually decreasebecause of the health impacts of thecurrent childhood obesity epidemic.42Overweight and obese children sufferfrom a myriad of health problems,

including higher risks ofcardiovascular disease, diabetes, boneand joint problems, and sleep apnea.43Overweight children often becomeoverweight adults, and the effect ofobesity on adult health is profound.Doctors warn that withoutunstructured play time, today’s kidsare growing up with depression, andanxiety, and have becomeincreasingly overweight.44

Kids who Play Outdoors PlayHarder, have Better MotorDevelopment, and areGenerally More Fit Research shows that kids who playoutdoors play harder and get moreexercise.45 Scientists have shown thatkids who play outdoors are generallymore fit than those who spend themajority of their time inside.46 Kidswho play outside in natural areas also

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National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh sshhoowwss::CChhiillddrreenn wwhhoo ppllaayy oouuttssiiddeen Play more creatively

n Have lower stress levels

n Have more activeimaginations

n Become fitter and leaner

n Develop stronger immunesystems

n Have greater respect forthemselves, for others, andfor the environment

Sources: (Fjortoft 2004); (Burdette & Whitaker 2005).

The American Academy of Pediatricsrecommends 60 minutes of dailyunstructured free play as essential tochildren’s physical and mental health.

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showed a statistically significantimprovement in motor fitness withbetter coordination, balance, andagility.47 The “richness and novelty” ofbeing outdoors also stimulates braindevelopment.48

Outdoor Play May Help KidsGet Better SleepThe National Institutes of Healthrecommends 30 minutes outside dailyfor better sleep, and studies indicatethat children’s play outside canimprove sleep.49 Half of alladolescents get less than seven hoursof sleep on weeknights.50 Insufficientsleep during childhood can causepermanent changes in a child’s brainstructure, and some scientists believethat “many of the hallmarkcharacteristics of being a tweener anda teen – moodiness, depression, andeven binge eating – are actuallysymptoms of chronic sleepdeprivation.”51 For toddlers especially,a lack of sleep can have seriousconsequences. Research has shownthat less than 10 hours a night of sleepfor toddlers “is associated withexternalizing problems such asHyperactivity-impulsivity (HI) andlower cognitive performance onneurodevelopment tests.”52 Obesityhas been linked to sleep disorders inchildren, and exercise has been shownto dramatically reduce sleep problemsin affected children. In one recentstudy, for example, half of theparticipating children who engaged indaily outdoor play for 40 minutesfound that their snoring went away inthree months.53

The Mental HealthImpacts: More TimeOutside, Less Anxiety

While today’s children are exposed tomore images of nature through theInternet and television than previousgenerations, they are missing out onthe benefits of a direct experience withnature.54 Time spent in nature has anintense psychological effect onchildren. “The non-humanenvironment, far from being of little orno account to human personalitydevelopment, constitutes one of themost basically important ingredients ofhuman psychological existence.”55Exposure to nature has many short-term benefits on children’spsychological and physical well-being.Being in nature engages all five sensesand therefore affects childhoodmaturation very strongly.56 Nature isalso continuously dynamic andunstable, which heightens awarenesswhile observing wildlife andexperiencing the outdoors. Researchshows that “direct, ongoing experienceof nature in relatively familiar settingsremains a vital source for children’sphysical, emotional, and intellectualdevelopment.”57

Lessens the Symptomsof ADHDOver two million children in the U.S.have been diagnosed with AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD). Children with ADHD arerestless, have trouble paying attention,listening, following directions, andfocusing on tasks.58 Research has shownthat spending time outdoors reduces theseverity of symptoms of children withADHD.59 The greener a child’s playarea, the less severe the ADHDsymptoms. Even indoor settings withwindows may be more supportive forADHD kids than indoor settingswithout windows.60 Researchers havealso found that even short walks ingreen settings such as urban parksincreases concentration in sufferers ofADHD and lessens other ADHD relatedsymptoms.61

Promotes Self-Confidenceand Improves ConcentrationChildren who spend time playingoutside are more likely to take risks,seek out adventure, develop self-confidence and respect the value ofnature.62 Outdoor recreationexperiences like camping can improvechildren’s self-esteem.63 Green spaces

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outside the home – includingviews of nature from windows – canincrease concentration, inhibition ofinitial impulses, and self-discipline.64

Stimulates Creativity andProblem-Solving SkillsUnstructured play outdoors alsopromotes creativity and problem-solving skills, because all playrequires “solving some form of socialproblem, such as deciding what toplay, who can play, when to start,when to stop, and the rules ofengagement.”65

Reduces Stress andAggressionTime spent in green spaces, includingparks, play areas, and gardens, hasbeen shown to reduce stress andmental fatigue.66 At least one studyexamined kids in inner city urbanareas of similar income, education,and family situations, who live inpublic housing. Children who wereexposed to greener environments inthe public housing area demonstratedless aggression, violence, and mental

stress.67 In a 2003 survey, 73% ofchildren said that participating inoutdoor activities allows them toconnect with themselves. 83% ofchildren said that getting into a naturalsetting allows them to escape thepressures of everyday life.68 Justviewing nature reduces physiologicalstress response, increases levels ofinterest and attention, and decreasesfeelings of fear and anger oraggression.69

The EconomyPublic Health Costs Due toObesity and Indoor AirPollutionGiven the connection between naturedeficit and childhood obesity, theeconomic toll on our public healthsystem is significant. According to theNational Academy of Sciences,national healthcare costs for obeseand overweight adults alone rangefrom $98 billion to $129 billionannually. “Obesity-associated annualhospital costs for children and youthmore than tripled over two decades,rising from $35 million in 1979-1981to $127 million in 1997-1999.”70

The economic toll associated withchildren’s exposure to indoor airpollution, including mold, radon,nitrogen oxides, tobacco smoke, anddust, is also significant. The costs topublic health systems and of lostproductivity due to indoor airpollution amount to an estimated $45billion per year for the State ofCalifornia alone.71 Air quality inside isoften worse than outside, even inmajor cities. Some indoor pollutantsare two to 50 times higher inconcentration indoors than outdoors.Children are particularly vulnerable tothe effects of indoor air pollutionbecause their immune systems are

developing. Health effects includeasthma, allergy attacks, headaches,and even cancer.72

Costs to Outdoor RecreationIndustry from Reduced Visitsto Parks, Declining Interestin Hunting and Fishing, andFewer Excursions in theOutdoorsThe active outdoor recreationeconomy contributes $730 billionannually to the U.S. economy.Outdoor recreation supports six and ahalf million jobs in the U.S., andgenerates $88 billion in annual stateand national tax revenue, and $289billion annually in retail sales andservices in the country.73 A continuednature deficit could substantiallyimpact this profitable sector of theU.S. economy.

In 2006, 87 million Americans spentapproximately $120 billion enjoyingrecreational activities relating to fishand wildlife. This spending equates toabout 1% of gross domestic product,which means that one out of every100 dollars of all goods and servicesproduced in the U.S. is associatedwith wildlife recreation. Anglers andhunters spent $75.4 billion in 2006,with an average of $2,225 per personin 2006.74

Unfortunately, hunting and anglingactivities have rapidly decreased overthe last 20 years. Overall huntingparticipation dropped 10% from 1996

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National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

Time in nature increases concentration for students.

"When one tugs at a single

thing in nature, he finds it

attached to the rest of the

world."

—John Muir, Naturalist

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to 2006. This trend could hurt theeconomy if it continues since huntersspent nearly $23 billion on trips,equipment, licenses, and other itemsto support their hunting activities in2006. Likewise, the number of anglersis decreasing. From 1996 to 2006, thenumber of anglers 16 years old andabove decreased 15%. Fishing in theGreat Lakes dropped 30% in the sametime period. In Alaska, one of themost popular states for hunting andfishing, recreational fishing decreasedby 26% and recreational huntingdecreased by 24%. Nationally, fishingrelated spending decreased by 16% inthe last 10 years. One positive trend isthat wildlife watching has increased13%. Wildlife-watching Americansspent $45 billion in 2003 on theiractivities.75

In addition to dwindling sales ofhunting and fishing goods andservices, state hunting and fishinglicense sales have plummeted. Manystates rely on millions of dollars fromlicense fees to protect threatenedanimal populations and control othermenacing populations like deer. If thesales continue to decline, stateresource agencies will be hit hard andmay be unable to keep up manyimportant conservation activities.76

Visits to our national parks havedecreased 25% over the last 15 years,and park associated recreation

businesses are at risk for revenuelosses, too.77 In 2004, recreationworkers held about 310,000 jobs.According to the Bureau of LaborStatistics, about 35% of year-roundrecreation workers are employed bylocal governments, mostly in park andrecreation departments.78 A continuednature deficit would result in evenmore local recreation budget cutbacks,thereby perpetuating nature deficit byreducing the already limited numberof local green areas for children toexperience.

Loss of PotentialConservation SavingsAccording to calculations by theNational Environmental EducationFoundation, improved environmentalknowledge could result in $76 billionin savings to the national economyfrom energy conservation andenvironmentally friendly behaviors.Without effective environmentaleducation for tomorrow’s leaders, andwithout children who want to connectto the natural world, however, thenation could lose out on thisconsiderable annual savings.79

The Future of AmericanConservationExploring the GreatOutdoors is a SpecialAmerican Cultural ValueIn a recent national survey, 92% ofAmericans responded that they “loveto be outdoors,” and 91% believed thattoday’s children are not spendingenough time outside.80 Exploring theoutdoors is part of the Americanexperience. From the redwood foreststo the Gulf Stream waters, Americansconnect to the diverse landscapes ofour country. If we lose this nature-childconnection, we will lose a special partof our national culture and identity.

Instilling a Long-TermEnvironmental Ethic in Our YouthDirect childhood experience innature before age 11 promotes along-term connection to nature.81Studies of British environmentaleducators; a comparison ofinterviews with American andNorwegian environmental activists;and comprehensive analysis of ElSalvadoran environmentalprofessionals demonstrate thatchildhood contact with nature isessential to shaping a lastingenvironmental ethic and an interestin environmental professions.82Organizations like the Scouts,environmental education programs,and Outward Bound-type programsduring the teen years also serve asformative experiences in creating asustained ethic of environmentalstewardship.83

The connections between childhoodnature experiences and adultenvironmental attitude are notunique to environmentalprofessionals.84 A recent studyinvestigated the impacts of

Teaching basic critical thinking skillsthrough nature studies is a keycomponent for professional success.

“Environmental Education

can help a struggling student

become a competent

student, and a competent

student grow into a star.”

Kevin Coyle,NWF Vice President for Education

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childhood nature experiences ininterviews with over 2,000 non-environmentalists in the 112 mosturban areas of the US. The surveyasked how often participants hadchildhood contact with nature,participated in environmentaleducation, nature experiences withother people, and associated thesefactors with environmental attitudesand behavior. This study concludedthat the most important factor oflong-term environmental attitudeswas “many hours spent outdoors innatural habitats during childhood oradolescence—alone or withothers.”85

A wide array of outdoor activitiessupports a long-term connection tonature. Childhood experiences innature like walking, playing, hikingin natural areas, camping, hunting,fishing, gardening, or plantcollecting, have a “significant,positive association with both adultenvironmental attitudes andbehaviors.” Books, magazines, andmedia also support environmentallyfriendly behaviors. People whoduring their youth engaged in activepursuits in the outdoors like hikingand gardening, however, were more

likely to express pro-environmentalattitudes and engage in pro-environmental behaviors as adults.86

Taking a Child Outdoorswith You Could Changethe WorldSharing nature with a parent,grandparent, close relative, or mentoroften feature prominently inenvironmental advocates’experiences. Environmental leadersconsistently “attributed theircommitment to a combination of two

sources: many hours spent outdoors ina keenly remembered wild or semi-wild place in childhood oradolescence, and an adult who taughtrespect for nature.”87 In fact, researchhas shown that time spent outdoorsplaying, bird watching, hunting, orcamping, or being with a specialperson is associated with anenvironmental ethic.88

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National Wildl i fe Federat ion • www.beout there.org

Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh SShhoowwss::CChhiillddhhoooodd aaccttiivviittiieess ppoossiittiivveellyy aassssoocciiaatteedd wwiitthh aann eennvviirroonnmmeennttaall eetthhiicc::

Love of nature is an American value.

n Playing outdoors

n Spending time with a mentoror close relative in nature

n Fishing

n Hiking

n Camping

n Hunting

n Scouting

n Environmental EducationPrograms

n Summer Camp

n Books & Magazines

n MediaSource: (Wells & Lekies 2006).

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We need to protect our children’s future. To reverse nature deficit and connect ourchildren to nature, National Wildlife Federation (NWF) will work to connectchildren to nature through advocating for environmental education, educating ourpublic health community about nature deficit, increasing opportunities for outdoorrecreation experiences for children through better design and access, andembarking on a national public outreach campaign to encourage parents to buildin regular time for outdoor play. Several policy actions at the federal, state, local,and personal level can make a difference.

Connect Children to Nature throughEnvironmental EducationHands-on, experience-based environmental education can connect kids to thenatural world. NWF will support policies to invest in and increase opportunitiesfor environmental education to help reverse nature deficit. Environmentaleducation programs use the environment as an integrating context (EIC) acrossdisciplines, which often results in interdisciplinary, hands-on, community-basedprojects that affect the local environment.89 Despite the intricate causalrelationships involved in the environmental sciences, only 44% of high schooleducators teach environmental education. Environmental education is much morecommon at the elementary school level with 88% of elementary school teachersusing some type of environmental education. There is widespread public supportfor environmental education, with 95% of adults and 96% of parents supportingenvironmental education in public schools.90 Unfortunately, because of theunintended consequences of current federal education legislation, known as the“No Child Left Behind” Act, many schools have reduced their environmentaleducation budgets to meet these new testing and curriculum requirements.

Solutions to Reverse Nature Deficit and Connect Our Children to Nature

"At age seven, children have

as passionate a longing for

creative interactions and

learning as they earlier had

for explorations of the

world."

—Joseph Chilton Pearce, The Magical Child

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Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh SShhoowwss::TThhee BBeenneeffiittss ooff EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall EEdduuccaattiioonn

There are four major types ofoutdoor education programs thatserve to connect children to nature:

(1) investigational approaches; (2) outdoor learning; (3) place-based learning; and (4) community service. Traditional environmental problem-solving in a community or“investigational approaches” haveshown to increase test scores onenvironmental knowledge, reading,and writing skills. Outdoor learning

programs like Outward Bound or theNational Outdoor LeadershipsSchools have become “meaningfullifetime experiences” and oftenpromote environmental stewardship.Place-based education connects theschool to its immediate environment.Community service approachesadvance responsible environmentalbehaviors and give children anopportunity to support local greenspaces. Furthermore, experts note thatif environmental education is doneright it can be worth up to $75 billiona year in measurable environmentalbenefits.91

In addition to connecting kids tonature, integrating environmentaleducation into school programs hasproven academic benefits:

Sparks Interest in Scienceand Math as Future CareerPathways According to the NationalEnvironmental Education andFoundation, 80% of all studentsdecide to opt out of science and mathcareers before entering high school.Environmental education is a“heuristic tool for making sciencemore relevant and appealing,” and

n Kids in environmental education classes havehigher scores on standard measures of academicachievement (reading, writing, math, science,social studies).

n In schools that compared the Environment as anIntegrated Context for learning (EIC) totraditional programs, 36 of 39 measures showedhigher performance by EIC students. There werefewer behavior problems and more engagementand enthusiasm for learning.

n Environmental education programs have resultedin higher test scores across the board.

n Some specific case studies:

• In a third grade class in Milwaukee, all thestudents in the environmental elementaryschool passed the state readingcomprehension test, as opposed to only 25%of the Milwaukee public schools system-wide.

• At an elementary school in Asheville, NC withan environmental focus, fourth grade studentsachieved a 31% point increase in mathachievement in one year.

• Scores on college admission ACT test werehigher from the School of EnvironmentalStudies in Apple Valley, MN than their peersin schools at the district, state, and nationallevels.

• Controlling for GPA, gender, and ethnicity, EICprograms significantly raised scores on threekey tests: achievement, motivation, andcritical thinking.

n Increased critical thinking skills are attributed toenvironmental themes, open-ended researchprojects, student voice, and empowerment.

n Motivation improvements attributed to learningexperiences tailored to students’ interests/strengths, and applied to real-lifeissues/problems.

n Schools with enviornmental education programsshowed higher test scores on standardized testsin math, reading, writing, and listening. Thepattern of enviornmental education schoolstudents’ higher scores persisted for five years ofdata investigated.

n Outdoor education programs in California showedthat science scores on post-test were higher forgroups in outdoor education. Teachers reportedimproved self-esteem, conflict resolution, andrelationship with peers, problem-solving,motivation to learn, and behavior in class.

Sources: (Lieberman & Hoody 1998); (SEER 2000); (NEEF, 2000); (Coyle 2005);(Bartosh 2004); (Athman & Monroe 2004); (American Institutes of Research 2005).

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“provides an appealing entry point forstudents thinking about futurecareers.”92 In one study, educatorsobserved thousands of students inenvironmental education programsand found that test scores improvedacross the board. Science was the onlysubject where 100% of the students’scores improved.93

Improved Math Scores In a Houston schools study, fourthgrade students who participated inNWF’s Schoolyard Habitats® Programincreased math scores significantlymore than peers with a traditionalcurriculum. Overall, minority childrenshowed more improvement.94

Increases AcademicMotivation and AttendanceA Washington state study concludedthat students enrolled inenvironmental education programs

showed better

overall GPA improvements andincreased attendance and motivation.95Another study showed EIC studentshad better attendance rates 77% of thetime and fewer discipline problems.96

Closes the Gap inUnderserved Communitiesand Serves as an EducationalEqualizer A 2004 study evaluated a place-basedenvironmental education project in anunder-resourced, predominantlyAfrican-American Louisiana schooldistrict. The performance gap betweenthe district’s performance and the stateaverage on state educational testsimproved across all subject areas.97The National EnvironmentalEducation Foundation found that“environment-based educationappears to be a kind of educationalequalizer, improving reading, scienceachievement, and critical thinkingacross ethnic and racial groups andacross socioeconomic levels.”98

Improves Critical Thinking Skills A recent study examined over 400high school students in eleven Floridahigh schools and contrasted students’

critical thinking skills inenvironmental education programsand traditional classes. Theenvironmental education classessignificantly raised students’ scores ontwo nationally recognized criticalthinking skills tests. Teachersconcluded that students’ criticalthinking skills improved because theenvironmental programs involvedinterdisciplinary problem-solvingapproaches, empowered students byallowing them to choose theirprojects, and allowed students toconnect their projects to theircommunities.99

Higher Standardized TestScores in Reading, Math,Science, and Social Studies Numerous studies, including anevaluation of student performance in40 schools in 12 states implementingenvironment as an integrating context(EIC), show that students in EICprograms have higher scores inreading, writing, math, science, andsocial studies.100

Increases Self-Esteem andScience Scores In California, a comparison of at-risksixth-grade students showed thatstudents in hands-on environmentaleducation significantly raised theirscience scores by 27%, and theyshowed better self-esteem, motivation,and behavior.101

Promote Outdoor Playthrough our PublicHealth Systems NWF will encourage public heathleaders to educate parents andcaregivers about the importance of playin tackling childhood obesity andimproving children’s mental health. Themedical community recognizes thatParent and child playtime in the natural world strengthen bonds.

”Play is the only way the

highest intelligence of

humankind can unfold.”

Joseph Chilton Pearce,Author of The Magical Child

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outdoor play time is critical tochildren’s physical, mental,

emotional, and social well being. TheAmerican Academy of Pediatricsrecommends that pediatricians promotefree play as “a healthy, essential part ofchildhood,” and discourage parents fromoveruse of passive entertainment likeTV and videogames.102 Routine well-child visits provide an importantopportunity to educate parents that playtime outside can help their kids behealthier and happier. NWF will urgehealthcare professionals to considerrecommending outdoor play for over-stressed kids and as a way to augmentstrategies to help children diagnosedwith ADHD.103 Public health programslike the Children’s Health InsuranceProgram (CHIP) and the Women, Infant,and Children nutrition program (WIC)can provide critical information toparents on the importance of playingoutside.104 NWF will also reach out tothe Surgeon General and Secretary ofHealth and Human Services to seeksupport for combating nature deficit andto urge parents to make a commitmentto get their children outside forunstructured play time.

Increase Opportunitiesfor Outdoor RecreationThrough Better Designand AccessBy working with designers, cityplanners, and local elected zoningcommissions and officials, NWF willwork to ensure that children haveaccessible kid-friendly green spacesfor unstructured free play. In manycommunities, children do not haveaccess to safe outdoor play areas.105Where there are playgrounds, manyare barren, concrete slabs thatresemble parking lots.106 Given themany health benefits of play in naturalareas, playgrounds should incorporate

green areas in their design. Naturalplay areas result in more active play.107Natural areas can also increase achild’s interest in the environment.108Research shows that greenlandscaping in playgrounds makeskids’ play more creative and morephysical.109 Better community designthat connects green spaces withwalking paths and hiking trails canpromote a more active lifestyle forfamilies and help to combat obesity.The medical community alsorecommends that physicians andhealth care professionals work tosupport active lifestyles by promoting“safe recreational facilities, includingparks, playgrounds, bicycle paths,sidewalks, and crosswalks.”110

Experts recommend using naturalvegetation as “both the play settingand the materials” in natural playareas. According to designer RandyWhite and professor Debra Rivkin,kid-friendly, green playgrounds mightinclude :111

• Indigenous vegetation, includingtrees that change colors, wavinglong grasses, and high vines thatattract birds and butterflies

• Sand and water play areas

• Avenues to experience weatherand changing seasons, like mobilesstirred by the breeze, soft windchimes, or covered porches

• Insect and butterfly gardens • Natural places to sit in, under, leanagainst, climb and provide shelterand shade

• Different levels and nooks andcrannies, where kids can sit, read,and talk

• Rubber walkways, ramps, and lowhills instead of stairs to promoteexploration of gravity

NWF will also focus on developinggreen spaces in cities in the nation’smigratory bird flyways to createhabitats and access for wildlife, and inreturn, access for children to observenature firsthand. Since urbanizationoften fragments habitats, green linkprojects can work to connecthabitats.112 Urban green spaces “play acrucial role in maintaining waterquality, loafing grounds, feedinggrounds, perch sites, ambienttemperature, buffer strips, and otherimportant factors that contribute to theoverall health of an ecosystem.”113NWF will continue to support our

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Test scores increase when students have regular outdoor learning experiences.

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Wildlife Habitat® program andSchoolyard Wildlife Habitats©programs to enable communities toform green links in theirneighborhoods.

Connecting nature through greenwaysand green links can not only improvewildlife habitat, but also provide manyquality of life benefits to citizens. InPortland, Oregon, for example, the140-mile green “loop” around the cityconnects hiking trails, parks, and bikepaths.114 NWF will also researchincentives and innovative policies topromote urban green spaces and sharecreative approaches with localplanning officials. In Davis,California, for example, a cityordinance requires that newdevelopment link to the city’sgreenway.115 A better built-environment and better access togreen spaces will help connect ourchildren to nature.

Encourage Parents toBuild in Regular Timefor Outdoor Playthrough Green Hour®, aNational EducationalCampaign Parents and policymakers can make adifference to get children toexperience all the benefits of free timein nature. NWF’s national educationalcampaign aims to reduce and addressbarriers preventing children fromexperiencing the outdoors. Our goal isto reach two million parents (10million children) encouraging them tobuild regular outdoor time into theirchildren’s lives. NWF's Green Hour®,an online resource for parents,features ideas for unstructured playand interaction with the natural world.

The vast majority of Americansreceive their environmentalinformation through traditional medialike television and newspapers.116According to a recent national survey,91% of Americans believe thatchildren need to spend more timeoutside.117 Now we need to urgeparents to create time for outdoor playfor their children. NWF will use ourexisting publications, includingRanger Rick® magazine, to encourageparents to build regular time foroutdoor play into their children’slives. NWF will also reach out to theadvertising and business communitiesin our efforts to get kids outside. We

will also target influential communityleaders, who are often trendsetters andopinion leaders, to seek their supportto educate parents about nature deficitand potential solutions.

NWF and its affiliated stateorganizations will form new “NoChild Left Inside™” coalitions, andwork with existing groups of healthprofessionals, educators, day careproviders, business leaders, anglers,hunters, environmental leaders, andelected officials to take collectivepolicy actions to connect children tonature.

Know theFACTSRReesseeaarrcchh SShhoowwss::SSuuggggeesstteedd OOuuttddoooorr AAccttiivviittiieessffoorr PPaarreennttss aanndd KKiiddss

All-season play and exploration provide new opportunities for learning.

n Nature Journaling

n Bird Watching

n Building a Fort

n Taking a Tree Walk

n Using a Field Guide

n Looking at Clouds

n Shape Searches

n Bug Collecting

n Puddle Jumping

n Wildflower Identification

n Walking

n Gardening

n Skipping Rocks

n Climbing TreesSource: www.greenhour.org

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National Wildl i fe Federaton • www.beout there.org

What You Can Do

"Nature has been for me, as

long as I remember, a

source of solace, inspiration,

adventure, and delight; a

home, a teacher, a

companion."

— Lorraine AndersonAuthor

Several policy actions at the local, state, and level can make a difference inconnecting children to nature.

Take Action Close to HomeExperience Green Hour®Documented benefits of spending time outdoors motivated NWF to create afamily-friendly website to encourage families to spend 60 minutes of time outsideeach day. You do not have to know a lot about the natural environment to enjoytime outdoors with your children. Take a field guide with you and learn together.Or just simply take a walk to your local park. Spend some time together in yourgarden. Look for birds. Watch the clouds. For ideas on how to spend timeoutdoors, visit www.nwf.org/kidsoutside.

Garden for wildlife with a child NWF’s gardening for wildlife suite of programs encourages homeowners,business-owners and community members to create wildlife friendly landscapesthat are accessible for all to enjoy. Nurturing an appreciate for plants and wildlifeat a young age is a key component for fostering a child’s future connection tonature. For more information, visit www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/.

Encourage your local schoolEncourage your local school to participate in NWF’s Schoolyard Habitats©Program, an integrated environmental education program where communitymembers, children, teachers and administrators work to create outdoor learningcenters and labs. Both through the creation and utilization of these teachingspaces, children learn about the natural world, and can improve their scores onstandardized tests.

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• Volunteer in a local park, school,day care center, after-school carefacility, or nature center. Work ina community garden, participate ina trash clean up or trailmaintenance project, or supportpark safety efforts.

• Play with a child outdoors.Research shows that spending timeoutdoors with children can helpshape their long-termenvironmental ethic. Free play innature increases physical fitnessand reduces anxiety. Go fishing.Take a hike. Or just go for a walkand look at the clouds.

Take Action in YourCommunityThe consequences of nature deficit arefelt most keenly at the local level.Consider working with your localgovernment, neighborhoodassociations, and communityorganizations to:

Get the word out Educate health professionals,teachers, city planners, businessleaders, and environmentalprofessionals and encourage them toincorporate nature deficit solutionsinto their everyday practice.

• Health Professionals.Ask abouttime outdoors during well-childvisits and consider “prescribing”time outdoors to improve children’sphysical and mental health.

• Teachers, Day Care Instructors,and After-school ProgramProviders. Use the localenvironment as an opportunity tolearn, incorporate nature intolesson plans, and enable kids tohave some quiet time outsidebefore class. Participate in NWF’sSchoolyard Habitats® program.For more ideas, visit www.nwf.org.

• Planners. Design more green playareas that enable free play. Providebetter, safer and pedestrian-friendly access to parks andplaygrounds. Work with electedofficials to make parks safer, toencourage families to get activeand be outside to reduce healthcosts. Market the uniqueenvironmental qualities of yourcommunity.

• Environmental Professionals.Educate citizens on the benefits ofspending time in nature with kids.

• Law Enforcement.Work toensure that green areas like stateand local parks are healthy, safeplaces for kids to play.

• Business Leaders. Provide paidleave time both in private andpublic sector for parents to go toschools and participate in outdoorfield trips and school gardeningprojects.

Support opportunities andfunding for educationSupport opportunities and funding forlocal environmental education,including asking local board membersto provide information on currentenvironmental education efforts, plansto update programs and ways toincrease funding for programs thathelp teachers link students to theoutdoors.

Join local law enforcementTeam up with local law enforcementto ensure that parents are adequatelyinformed about the safety of publicparks and play areas and to increaseopportunities for kids to play safelyoutside.

Create a “No Child LeftInside™” Day or participate in other days of action,including the Great AmericanBackyard Campout®, National GetOutdoors Day, Wildlife Watch Day,and International Migratory Bird Day.

Reach out to after-schoolprogramsReach out to after-school programs tosee how you can help them createopportunities for more play timeoutside for kids. Research shows thatthe vast majority of children areenrolled in some kind of after-schoolprogram. Provide incentives andopportunities for field trips to local

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Fishing and hunting provide experiential learning for students and mentoringopportunities with community members.

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nature centers, supply tools for anafter-school garden, or give

materials for a community-basedenvironmental education program.

Enroll in the NWF’sSchoolyard Habitats®ProgramNWF has worked with schools toplant wildlife-friendly vegetation onschool grounds. This tried and trueprogram works and has been found toincrease participating students’ mathscores and educate them about theenvironment.

Create zoning policies andincentivesWork with local planningcommissions and homeowners’associations to create zoning policiesand incentives to encourage more kid-friendly green spaces for creative playand designate special areas wherechildren can participate in traditionaloutdoor activities, like climbing treesand fort-building that have beenlimited because of liability concerns.Consider the following actions:

• Advocate for better playgrounddesign that incorporates naturallandscapes.

• Support walkways and bike trailsinto neighborhoods, unlinked toroads, for recreating andcommuting by families.

• Push for investments in publictransportation infrastructure sonatural areas are easier to access.

• Promote a “walking school bus,”where parents take turns walkinga group of kids to school in yourcommunity to help kids walk toschool safely, but also enjoy sometime outside and get someexercise.

Take Action in Your StateState governments are responsible forthe majority of public policies that canmake children’s lives healthier, happy,and more active. State governmentsshould consider integrated policyreforms that include connectingchildren to nature throughout the statehealth, natural resources, andeducation systems. Some state reformpolicies worth investigating include:

Connecticut’s No Child LeftInside™ Parks Program The State of Connecticut created a“No Child Left Inside™” program,which includes a multi-weekscavenger and adventure hunt in the“Great Parks Pursuit Day” toencourage families to experience thestate park system. This comprehensiveprogram provides park passes forfoster families, supports an urbanfishing program, promotes watersafety classes for children to learnhow to swim, and connects theoutdoors to the state library system byoffering a summer environmentalreading program and special parkpasses that are only available at thelibraries.118

Maryland’s Chesapeake BayWatershed Education &Training ProgramMaryland’s Chesapeake BayWatershed Education & TrainingProgram strives to ensure that allchildren within the Chesapeake Baywatershed have a meaningful bayexperience before they graduate fromhigh school.119 In conjunction with theChesapeake Bay program, the NationalOceanic & Atmospheric Association’sBay and Watershed Education &Training (B-WET) Program supportsenvironmental stewardship andprovides hands-on watershedexperiences and uses the environmentas an integrating context. Two Pacificprograms have also been created,including Monterey Bay in 2003 andthe Hawaiian Islands in 2004.120

California’s Children’sOutdoor Bill of Rights On July 6, 2007, the State ofCalifornia issued a proclamationrecognizing the “Children’s OutdoorBill of Rights.” Drafted by theCalifornia Roundtable on Recreation,Parks, and Tourism, the Children’sOutdoor Bill of Rights states that bythe age of 14, every child in California

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Connect ing Today’s K ids wi th Nature

A family GreenHour® can instill a love for nature.

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has the right to experience thefollowing activities:

• Discover California’s past• Splash in the water• Play in a safe place• Camp under the stars• Explore nature• Play on a team• Follow a trail• Catch a fish• Celebrate their heritage

Washington State No ChildLeft Inside™Grant Program In January 2008, Washington Stateannounced a No Child Left Inside™grant program administered by theWashington State Parks andRecreation Commission. The programhas $1.5 million available toWashington state outdoor educationand recreation youth programs toconnect children to nature.122

Pennsylvania EnvironmentalEducation Grants Program The Department of EnvironmentalProtection set aside 5% of thepollution fines and penalties collectedannually for a grants program thatfunds environmental educationprojects across the state.123

Governors and state legislatures canmake a difference in connectingchildren to nature and should takeaction to:

• Host a “No Child Left Inside™”Forum, to discuss ways to connectchildren to nature with health careprofessionals, business leaders,nonprofit organizations, educators,after-school providers, urbanplanners, hunters and anglers,conservation groups, and localofficials to work together to createaccess to safe outdoor play areasand educate parents on the benefitsof unstructured free play.

• Declare a Children’s OutdoorBill of Rights to ensure thatchildren have the right toexperience all the benefits ofunstructured free time in nature.

• Institute mandatory statestandards for minimum exercisein school that focus on outdooractivities for children. As a resultof the No Child Left Behindlegislation, many states have cutphysical education programs,outdoor field trips, andenvironmental education. Exerciseprograms in school thatincorporate the outdoors wouldprovide substantial benefits to thehealth of our children.

• Pass state environmentaleducation legislation to promoteplace-based and outdoorenvironmental education andincrease funding for updatingenvironmental educationprograms. Try to connect everyschool with a natural place.Consider incorporatingenvironmental education intoteacher education andaccreditation programs.

• Require public health and socialservice agencies to educateparents on the benefits ofoutdoor play on children’shealth to fight obesity and tomake kids’ lives better. Publichealth agencies should work toredefine exercise to take away itsstigma and call it “play,” and workwith health professionals toadvance time in nature as apotential avenue to lessen thesymptoms of ADHD, fatigue, andchildhood depression.

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Environmental education increasesinterest in science and math.

Share your love of the outdoors with achild.

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Take Action at theNational Level

The federal government has animportant role in creatingopportunities for children to playoutdoors. Some existing federalprograms worth investigating include:

U.S. Forest Service “MoreKids in the Woods” Program In 2007, this federal program awarded$1.5 million with cost share partnersfor local projects that connect childrento national forest lands.124

U.S. Bureau of LandManagement’s (BLM) “Take it Outside” ProgramThis program expands many existinginitiatives that connect children to the258 million acres of BLM-managedpublic lands. The agency partners withschools, youth organizations like theGirl Scouts, and provides a websitefor families on recreationalopportunities on BLM lands.125

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service“Children and Nature”Initiative This new initiative aims to connectchildren with nature, and to encouragefamilies to visit national wildliferefuges to experience naturefirsthand.126

National Park Service’sYouth Programs The National Park Service has severaleducational programs to engagechildren who visit national parks,including the Jr. Ranger Program. ThePark Service also has partnershipswith groups such as the StudentConservation Association, the YouthConservation Corps, and Job Corps,and private youth organizations likethe Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts to

engage children in environmentalstewardship projects andenvironmental education. 127

Federal policies can make a differencein connecting children to nature, andyour federal officials should work to:

• Pass proposed federallegislation, such as the “No ChildLeft Inside™” amendment to the“No Child Left Behind” Act to getenvironmental education back inthe classroom and give incentivesto states to create environmentalliteracy plans.

• Reauthorize the NationalEnvironmental Education Act toupdate environmental educationstandards and increase criticalfunding for environmentaleducation.

• Form a Twenty-first CenturyPresidential Commission on theGreat Outdoors to make outdoortime part of children’s dailyexperience, and more fully explorethe impacts of nature deficit onpublic health.

• Increase the federal recreationbudget, and conduct a review offederal agency resource budgetsand assess how they can connectchildren to nature.

• Use existing federal publichealth programs to educateparents on the importance ofoutdoor play to children’s health.The Children’s Health InsuranceProgram (CHIP), the Women,Infants, and Children (WIC)nutrition program, and Medicaidreflect unique avenues toencourage parents to supportoutdoor play.

• Call upon the Surgeon Generaland Secretary of Health andHuman Services to ask parentsto make a commitment to theirchildren’s health by encouragingtheir children to experience dailyunstructured free play outside.

ConclusionTogether, we can connect our childrento nature and ensure that the nextgeneration has the opportunity, thespace, and the encouragement to “GoOutside and Play.”

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Outdoor play results in healthier kids.

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ENDNOTES1 Rideout, Victoria et al. (2005). Generation M: Media in the Livesof 8-18 Year-Olds. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.http://www.kff.org/entmedia/up...f-8-18-Year-olds-Report.pdf(accessed Oct. 22, 2007).2 Juster, F. Thomas et al. (2004). “Changing Times of AmericanYouth: 1981-2003,” Institute for Social Research, University ofMichigan. Child Development Supplement,http://www.umich.edu/news/Releases/2004/Nov04/teen_time_report.pdf (accessed Oct. 27, 2007).3 NIH News. (2005). “Obesity Threatens to Shorten U.S. Life Span,New Analysis Suggests,” (Mar. 17, 2005), available athttp://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2005/nia-16.htm (accessed o Mar.8, 2008); Olshansky, S. J. et al. (20005). "A Potential Decline inLife Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century," NewEngland Journal of Medicine. 32: 1138-1145,http://content.nejm.org (accessed Mar. 8, 2008).4 Louv, Richard (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving OurChildren from Nature-Deficit Disorder.Algonquin Books of ChapelHill.5 U.S. Department of Justice. Finkelhor, David, et al. (2002).Nonfamily Abducted Children: National Estimates andCharacteristics, National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted,Runaway, and Throwaway Children, Bulletin,http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/nismart/04/ (accessed Nov. 5,2007); Williamson, L.J. (2007). “Let Kids Outdoors: Crime isDown, but Parents Shelter Children as if there is a Predator onEvery Corner,” Los Angeles Times, (Mar. 29, 2007),http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-williamson29mar29,0,803913.story (accessed Mar. 9, 2008).6 U.S. Dept. of Justice. (2001). Highlights of the Youth InternetSafety Survey, http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200104.pdf(accessed Mar. 9, 2008). 7 WiredSafety.Org. (1998). Overview of Online Survey,http://www.wiredsafety.org/askparry/special_reports/spr1/qa33.html(accessed Mar. 9, 2007); Polly Klass Foundation (2005). “Resultsof Internet Survey: One Third of Teens Have Talked with StrangersOnline About Meeting in Person; Nearly One in Eight HaveLearned that Adults Online Were Pretending to be Younger,”http://www.pollyklaas.org/media/new-survey-data-reveals-risks.html (accessed Nov. 15, 2007); Enough is Enough (2005).“Making the Internet Safer for Children and Families,” InternetStatistics Fact Sheet,http://www.enough.org/inside.php?tag=statistics (accessed Nov. 14,2007).8 Moore, Robin C. (1989). “Playgrounds at the Crossroads: Policyand Action Research Needed to Ensure a Viable Future for PublicPlaygrounds in the United States,” published in Altman, I. & ZubeE., Public Places and Spaces. Human behavior and theenvironment, Vol. 10. New York: Plenum,http://www.naturalearning.org/aboutus/countersedentary.htm(accessed Nov. 20, 2007).9 (Louv 2005).10 Ibid.11 Ibid.12 Jacobsen PL. (2003). “Safety in numbers: more walkers andbicyclists, safer walking and bicycling. Injury Prevention 9: 205-209, http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/3/205(accessed Nov. 20, 2007).13 (Louv 2005).

14 Cowan, Alison Leigh (2007). “School Recess Gets Gentler andAdults are Dismayed,” altparentingsolutions.com,http://groups.google.com.sg/group/alt.parenting.solutions/browse_thread/thread/b0d00fe0c9545d81(accessed Mar. 3, 2008); Lahoud,Susan (2006). “Tagged Out,” The Sun Chronicle, Oct.17, 2006,http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2006/10/18/features/feature37.txt (accessed Mar. 7, 2008); USA Today Editorial (2006). “OurView on Children’s Welfare: All Work and No Play… Makes KidsFat and Passive”, (Nov. 28, 2006),http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2006/11/ post_67.html (accessedMar. 7, 2008).15 (Rideout et al. 2005).16 Ibid.17 (Juster et al. 2004)18 Burdette, Hillary L & Whitaker, Robert C. (2005). “ResurrectingFree Play in Young Children: Looking Beyond Fitness and Fatnessto Attention, Affiliation, and Affect,” Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med159: 46-50, http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/159/1/46 (accessed Nov. 10, 2007).19 Browne, KD & Hamiltion-Giachritsis, CE (2005). “The Influenceof Violent Media on Children and Adolescents: A Public HealthApproach,” The Lancet, 365: 702-10.20 Christakis, Dimitri A. & Zimmerman, Frederick. (2007). “ViolentTelevision Viewing During Preschool is Associated with AntisocialBehavior During School Age,” Pediatrics, 120: 993-99. 21 (Louv 2005).22 DeMarco, Laura. (2004). “Generation X Parents Outshine BabyBoomers: Group Called Slackers Embraces Family,” The PlainDealer (Sept. 7, 2004).23 Bronson, Po. (2007). “Snooze or Lose,” New York Magazine,http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/ (accessed Nov. 21, 2007);Elkins, David (2003). “The Overbooked Child,” Psychology Today(Jan/Feb 2003).24 Ginsberg, D. (2007). “The Importance of Play in PromotingHealthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-ChildBonds,” Clinical Report, American Academy of Pediatrics,http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playFINAL.pdf (accessed Nov. 1,2007).25 Ibid.26 Rosensfeld, Alvin & Wise, Nicole. (2005). The Over-ScheduledChild: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap. St. Martin’s Press.27 (Ginsberg 2007).28 Ibid.29 Ibid.30 Centers for Disease Control. (2007). Fact Sheet, “Prevalence ofOverweight Among Adolescents and Children 2003-2004, ObesityStill a Problem,”http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/06facts/obesity03_04.htm(accessed Nov. 4, 2007).31 Kellert, Stephen R. (2004). Building for Life: Designing andUnderstanding the Human-Nature Connection. Island Press. 32 (Juster et al. 2004).33 Hofferth, S. and J. Sandberg. (2001). “Changes in AmericanChildren’s Time, 1981-1997.” In Hofferth, S.L. and T.J. Owens,eds. Children at the Millennium: Where Have We Come From,Where Are We Going? Oxford, England: Elsevier Science. 34 Von Hippel et al. (2007). “The Effect of School on Overweight inChildhood: Gain in Body Mass Index During the School Year andDuring Summer Vacation,” American Journal of Public Health, 97:606-702.35 McCafferty, Dennis. (2007). “Mother Nature: Raising HealthierKids, Getting your Kids Back in Touch with the Great Outdoors canImprove their Health and Well-being. USA Weekend Magazine,(Nov. 18, 2007),www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/071118/071118healthy-kids-report.html (visited Nov. 22, 2007).

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36 Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness and Council on SchoolHealth (2006). “Active Healthy Living: Prevention of ChildhoodObesity Through Increased Physical Activity,” Pediatrics 117;1834-1842, www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/117/5/1834(accessed Nov. 18, 2007).37 (Rosenfeld & Wise 2000).38 (Council on Sports Medicine 2007).39 (Burdette & Whitaker 2005).40 Luepker, RV. (1999). “How Physically Active are AmericanChildren and What Can We Do about it?” International Journal ofObesity 23(2): S12-17; Sturm, R. (2005). “Childhood Obesity:What Can We Learn from Existing Data on Societal Trends, Part 1.Preventing Chronic Disease [serial online] 2(1): 1-9,http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2005/jan/04_0038.htm; Henig,Robin Marantz. (2008). “Taking Play Seriously,” The New YorkTimes, (Feb. 17, 2008).41 (CDC 2006).42 Olshansky, S. J. et al. (2005). A Potential Decline in LifeExpectancy in the United States in the 21st Century. New EnglandJournal of Medicine. 352: 1138-45,: http://content.nejm.org(accessed Mar. 7, 2008).43 Ogden CL, et al. (2006). “Prevalence of Overweight and Obesityin the United States, 1994-2004. “ JAMA 295: 1549-1555.44 (Ginsberg 2007).45 (Burdette & Whitaker 2005).46 Fjortoft, I. (2004). “Landscape and Playscape: the Effects ofNatural Environments on Children’s Play and Motor Development,” Children, Youth and Environments 14(2): 21-44,http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/14_2/article2.pdf (accessedOct. 20, 2007).47 Ibid.48 Rivkin, Mary S. (2000). “Outdoor Experiences for YoungChildren.” ERIC clearinghouse on Rural Education and SmallSchools, http://www.eric.ed.gov (accessed on Nov. 17, 2007). 49 (NIH 2007).50 (Bronson 2007).51 Ibid.52 Touchette, E. et al. (2007). “Associations between Sleep DurationPatterns and Behavioral/Cognitive Functioning at School Entry,Sleep, 30: 1213-19,http://www.websciences.org/cftemplate/NAPS/archives/indiv.cfm?ID=20067387 (visited Nov. 12, 2007).53 Davis, Catherine, M.D. (2006). “Exercise Reduces Children’sSleep Problems,” Obesity (Nov. 2006),http://vid_health.healthology.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-disorders-childhood/article3999.htm (visited Mar. 3, 2008).54 Kahn, P.H. & S.R. Kellert, eds. (2002). Children and Nature:Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations.Cambridge, MA: MIT Press; Kaplan, R. & S. Kaplan. (1989). TheExperience of Nature: a Psychological Perspective. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.55 (Kahn & Kellert 2002).56 Chawla, Louise. (1999). “Life Paths into Effective EnvironmentalAction.” The Journal of Environmental Education 31(1): 15-26.57 (Kellert 2003).58 (Louv 2005).59 Kuo, F.E. & A. Faber Taylor (2004). “A Potential NaturalTreatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidencefrom a National Study,” American Journal of Public Health 94 (9):1580-1586.60 Taylor, Andrea et al. (2001). “Coping with ADD: The SurprisingConnection to Green Play Settings,” Environment and Behavior,33: 54-77.61 (Kuo & Taylor 2004).62 United Kingdom Sustainable Development Commission (2007).Every Child’s Future Matters. http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/ECFM_report.pdf (accessed Nov. 1, 2007).

63 Marsh, P. (1999). Does camping enhance self-esteem? CampingMagazine, 72(6), 36-40.64 (Taylor et al. 2001).65 (Burdette & Whitaker 2005).66 (Taylor et al. 2001).67 Kuo, F.E. and Sullivan, WC. (2001a). “Environment and Crime inthe Inner City: Does Vegetation Reduce Crime?” Environment andBehavior 33: 343-367; Kuo, F. & Sullivan, WC (2001b).“Aggression and Violence in the Inner City: Effects of Environmentvia Mental Fatigue,” Environment and Behavior 33: 543-571. 68 Harris Interactive. (2003). Outdoor Industry Association OutreachStudy. Outdoor Industry Association.69 (Burdette & Whitaker 2005).70 National Academy of Sciences. (2004). Preventing ChildhoodObesity: Health in the Balance,http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11015&page=125(accessed Nov. 12, 2007).71 California Air Resources Board, News Release, “Air BoardForwards Indoor Air Pollution Report to Legislature,”http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr031705.htm (visited Nov. 21,2007).72 Ibid.73 Outdoor Industry Association (2006). The Active OutdoorRecreation Economy: A $730 billion annual contribution to the U.S.Economy,http://www.imba.com/resources/science/outdoor_industry_recreation.pdf (accessed Oct. 15, 2007).74 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2007). 2006 National Survey ofFishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation: NationalOverview (May 2007).75 Ibid.76 Greenwell, Megan. (2007). “Clinics Pursue Elusive Quarry: NewHunters,” The Washington Post (Nov. 12, 2007),http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/ AR2007111101591_pf.html(accessed Nov. 12, 2007).77 Pergams, O. R. W. and P. A. Zaradic. (2006). “Is Love of Naturein the US becoming Love of Electronic Media? 16-year downtrendin national park visits explained by watching movies, playing videogames, internet use, and oil prices,” Journal of EnvironmentalManagement 80: 387-393,http://www.videophilia.org/uploads/JEM.pdf (accessed Mar. 9,2008); Biello, David. (2008). “Are We Afraid of the Outdoors?”Scientific American News, (Feb. 5, 2008),http://www.cnaturenet.org/ news/detail_print644/ (accessed Feb. 19,2008).78 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2006). Occupational OutlookHandbook, 2006-07 Edition,http://www.bls.gov/oco/prin/osco058.htm (accessed Nov. 19, 2007).79 Coyle, Kevin. (2005). “Environmental Literacy in America:What Ten Years of NEEF/Roper Research and Related StudiesSay about Environmental Literacy in the U.S.,” NationalEnvironmental Education & Training Foundation,www.neefusa.org/pdf/ELR2005.pdf (accessed on Nov. 2, 2007).80 EcoAmerica and SRI Consulting. (2006). The AmericanEnvironmental Values Survey: American Views on the Environmentin the Era of Polarization and Conflicting Priorities,http://www.brainerd.org/downloads/ecoAmerica%20AEVS%20Summary.pdf (accessed Nov. 18, 2007).81 Wells, N.M. and Lekies, K.S. (2006). “Nature and the LifeCourse: Pathways from childhood nature experiences to adultenvironmentalism,” Children, Youth, and Environment, 16 (1), 1-24,http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/16_1/16_1_01_NatureAndLifeCourse.pdf (accessed Mar. 9, 2007).82 (Wells & Lekies 2006).83 (Kellert 2004).84 (Wells & Lekies 2006).85 Ibid.

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86 Ibid.87 (Chalwa 1999).88 (Wells & Lekies 2006.)89 Duffin, M., Powers, A., Tremblay, G., & PEER Associates.(2004). Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative: Report oncross-program research and other program evaluation activities,2003-2004,http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Reports/S0019440A(accessed Mar. 3, 2008).90 (Coyle 2005).91 Ibid.92 Ibid. Elder, J. (2003). A Field Guide to Environmental Literacy:Making Strategic Investments in Environmental Education.Environmental Education Coalition.93 Lieberman, G. & Hoody, L. (2002). Closing the AchievementGap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context forLearning—2nd Edition. San Diego, CA.94 Danforth, P. (2005). An evaluation of National WildlifeFederation’s Schoolyard Habitat Program in the HoustonIndependent School District. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, TexasState University, San Marcos, TX.95 Bartosh, O. (2004). “Environmental Education: ImprovingStudent Achievement.” Unpublished master's thesis, The EvergreenState College, Olympia, Washington,http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Research/0032637E-007EA7AB.5/EEReportCard%202004.pdf (accessed Nov. 14,2007).96 State Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER). (2000).California Student Assessment Project: The Effects of Environment-based Education on Student Achievement,http://www.seer.org/pages/csap.pdf (accessed Nov. 9, 2007).97 Emekauwa, E. (2004). They Remember What They Touch: TheImpact of Place-based Learning in East Feliciana parish. RuralSchool and Community Trust,http://www.peecworks.org/PEEC/PEEC_Research/S0009D4FB(accessed Nov. 16, 2005).98 (Coyle 2005).99 Athman, J. & Monroe, M. (2004). “The Effects of Environment-based Education on Students’ Achievement Motivation,” Journal ofInterpretation Research, 9(1): 9-25.; Ernst, Julie Athman &Monroe, Martha. (2004). The effect of environment-based educationon student’ critical thinking skills and disposition toward criticalthinking. Environmental Education Research, 10(4): 507-522.100 Lieberman, G. and Hoody, L. (1998). Closing the AchievementGap. San Diego, CA: State Education and EnvironmentRoundtable. (www.seer.org),101 American Institutes of Research. (2005). Effects of OutdoorEducation Programs for Children in California. Sacramento, http://www.sierraclub.org/insidetheoutdoors/downloads/outdoorschool_finalreport.pdf (accessed Oct. 25, 2007).102 (Ginsberg 2007).103 (Kuo & Taylor 2001).104 (Burdette & Walker 2005).105 (Moore 1989).106 White, Randy. (2004). Young Children’s Relationship withNature: Its importance to Children’s Development and the Earth’sFuture. Kansas City, MO, & Doha, Qatar: White HutchinsonLeisure & Learning Group,http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/childrennature(accessed Nov. 19, 2007).107 (Fjortoft 2004).108 (White 2004).109 (Moore 1989); (Fjortoft 2004).110 (Council on Sports Medicine 2006).111 (White 2004); (Rivkin 2000).

112 Snyder Sachs, Jessica (2002). “Seeking Safe Passage: Scientistsare increasingly discovering the benefits of protecting corridors thatconnect isolated wildlife habitats,” National Wildlife Magazine, Vol40 , No. 4 (Jun/July 2002),http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueId=43&articleId=499 (accessed Nov. 14, 2007).113 Schaefer, Valentin. (2003). Green Links and Urban Biodiversity –an Experiment in Connectivity. Institute of Urban Ecology, DouglasCollege,http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/03_proceedings/PAPERS/ORAL/2c_schae.pdf (accessed Nov. 19, 2007).114 (Louv 2005).115 Ibid.116 (Coyle 2005).117 (EcoAmerica 2006).118 Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (2007).“No Child Left Inside™,” http://www.nochildleftinside.org/(accessed Oct. 15, 2007).119 Chesapeake Bay Program. (2000). “Meaningful BayExperience,” available at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/pubs/doc-c2k_meaningful_bay_experience.pdf (accessed Nov. 21, 2007).120 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) Chesapeake Bay Office, Bay Watershed Education andTraining Program site,http://chesapeakebay.noaa.gov/formaleducation.aspx (accessed Nov.21, 2007).121 California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks and Tourism (2007).“Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights,”http://www.calroundtable.org/cobor.htm (accessed Oct. 23, 2007).122 Washington State Parks. (2008). “No Child Left Inside GrantProgram,” http://parks.wa.gov/NoChildLeftInside/ (accessed Mar.8, 2008).123 Pennsylvania Department of Environment (2008).“Pennsylvania’s Environmental Education Grants Program,”http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/enved/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=473483 (accessed Mar. 9, 2008)124 U.S. Forest Service. (2008). “Kids in the Woods,”http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/woods/index.shtml(accessed Mar. 31, 2008).125 U.S. Bureau of Land Management (2007). “BLM Launches NewInitiative to Connect Children and Families to the Outside,”http://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/info/newsroom/2007/05/5-22-07_take_it_outside_initiative.html (accessed Mar. 31, 2008).126 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2008). “Let’s Go Outside:Helping Children and Families Connect to Nature,”http://www.fws.gov/children/ (accessed Mar. 31, 2008).127 National Park Service. (2008). “Youth Programs,”http://www.nps.gov/gettinginvolved/youthprograms/index.htm(accessed Mar. 31, 2008).

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