Take A Child Outside Week is a program designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from discovering the natural world. By arming parents, teachers and other caregivers with resources on outdoor activities, our goal is to help children across the country develop a better understanding and appreciation of the environment in which they live, and a burgeoning enthusiasm for its exploration.
For more information and ideas:
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences – coordinator and sponsor of the Take a Child Outside initiative.
- Children & Nature Network – National organization dedicated to connecting children with nature, co-founded by Richard Louv.
- NC Children and Nature Coalition – has been leading the effort for the NC Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights
- Saving Kids from ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ – podcast of NPR’s Morning Edition featuring Richard Louv. The interview with Louv starts 7 minutes into the podcast.
- National Wildlife Federation Green Hour – Discovery Journal, Activities and Blog encouraging unstructured outdoor play time for kids.
Don’t have a kid to take Outdoors? Consider supporting this:
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s fundraising projects that impact Low-income urban youth. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina recognizes the impact these projects have on the health of Charlotte’s youth and has granted over $7,500 to match every dollar we raise. There are two projects to choose from and they both need some serious help.
Our most important is our Environmental Education Scholarship Fund titled “Can We have Class Outside?” This scholarship fund impacts over 330 at-risk urban youth across 4 different Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. In this project we will use outdoor science education to improve learning and classroom dynamics. Studies have shown that students who attend programs similar to this have significant gains in several social categories including relationships to peers as well as with teachers. The same studies have shown that students increase performance in science by almost 30% as a result of hands on Environmental Education.
The second project is our After School Outdoor Club Scholarship titled “Can We play Outside?” This project won a 2012 Innovative Program award from the National association of County Organizations for its strategic use of resources to aid the citizens of Mecklenburg County. The project has expanded yet again and stretches over 7 different urban recreation facilities across the city of Charlotte and provides active outdoor programming for children who attend zero cost after school care.
We are desperately behind on these fundraising projects and need your help. If you can give I thank you for doing so, if not no worries but please pass the word about these projects to anyone you feel would be interested. Post the project on your facebook or twitter and please help us draw attention in the closing days of these project postings.
Here is the link to our projects.
http://power2give.org/charlotte/Project/SearchProjects?orgId=240
Thank you so much for your support and help.
Anthony Shaheen
Outdoor Recreation Specialist McDowell Nature Center
