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NRPA Connects Kids to Nature11-09-12 | News

NRPA Connects Kids to Nature

The National Park and Recreation Association (NRPA) has joined the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in its fight to get children to spend more time outdoors.

Over the next three years the goal is to get 10 million children outdoors for a minimum of 90 minutes per week (excluding organized sports) to combat ''indoor childhood'' and lack of ''green time''.

Research shows that children spend only minutes a day engaged in unstructured outdoor play or "green time", due to the popularity of electronic media, such as computers and video games. Subsequently children who play predominantly indoors have become less healthy and are disconnected from the natural world around them.

Barbara Tulipane, President and CEO of NRPA, said, ''Our nation's parks and recreation areas are not just a solution for better health, but are the answer to inspiring a healthier generation of youth who will appreciate and care for our open space lands, as well as engage in environmental stewardship that will benefit our future.''

As public park and recreation departments across the country are positioned to connect children to nature they will play a major role in accomplishing the "10 Million Kids Outdoors" goal.

The NRPA, with the support of NWF, has vowed to assist park and recreation departments by providing an array of resources and materials that will encourage kids to get outdoors, explore, play, and learn.

NRPA is calling on all park and recreation professionals and agencies to pledge their support for the ''10 Million Kids Outdoors'' goal by signing up online. To participate in this effort please click here.

NRPA and NWF are also calling on other child-serving organizations and all parents to join in this effort by committing to get their kids to spend more time each week in outdoor activities.

For more information about the ''10 Million Kids Outdoors'' project please click here.

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