Dear Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Educators, and Childcare Providers –

Please take 4 min. and 40 seconds to view this great news clip. This video brings back memories of playing outside as a child.  There is a nationwide effort to educate parents and grandparents alike about the benefits of allowing children to play outdoors. The news clip emphasizes this theme as the newscaster states, “Because playing is in a child’s nature, perhaps nature is where a child is meant to play.”  

            http://wcco.com/video/?id=50823@wcco.dayport.com

Dr. Delwin Benson of Colorado State University is also working on 2 initiatives to counter the “Last Child in the Woods” phenomenon and related concerns about fewer anglers, hunters, and visitors to parks.  The two initiatives are related, but separate, based on the assumption that outdoor behaviors are affected most at home through the frequent influence of family and friends.  Consequently, he is promoting the two initiatives:

1.  Neighborhood Outdoor Adventures for parents and youth; and

2.  Outdoor Clubs for adults and youth.

For more information, visit his blog at

http://del-helplanduselandhelp.blogspot.com/

The statistics are staggering – children today spend only half as much time in unstructured outdoor play as their parents.¹  Children ages 8 to 18 average 44.5 hours per week in front of some type of screen – the only thing they do more is sleep!² Our children are fortunate if they spend 30 minutes outdoors per week.  Thankfully, there are many great conservation organizations working towards reversing this trend as the consequences of not changing the trend will be devastating.

Reports show that 90% of current outdoor enthusiasts were introduced to outdoor recreation between the ages of 5 and 18.³  However, with fewer youth connecting to nature, fewer will learn to love the outdoors and fewer still may become stewards.  Current college enrollments in natural resources and wildlife programs in 2003 were at 1980 levels and only 1 or 2 of 10 students expressed interest in working for a government agency.  Yet, 47% of our natural resource agency staff nationwide are expected to retire by 2015 and 77% of agency staff in key leadership roles are expected to retire during that same timeframe.⁴ That’s only 7 short years from now!           

We have to act fast in order to make a difference.  Young adults unsure of how to engage their children in the outdoors can seek out classes such as those offered by Wildland Awareness and Educational Institute (WAEI- www.wildlandinstitute.org).  WAEI provides outdoor classes for adults in Colorado such as the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program for adult women.  This will give you ideas on how to create in the outdoors and the confidence to do it safely.  Other great ideas on activities to try with your children, nieces, nephews, or grandchildren can be found on the National Wildlife Federation’s website under the heading of ‘Outside in Nature’ then highlight ‘Play and Observe Outside.’  Keep it simple and start small.  Spend more time in your backyard, try camping in your backyard and make it a great experience for your kids.  Then head out to open spaces close to home.  You don’t have to head to the wilderness to have your own wilderness adventure!       

1-Kate Siber, National Parks Foundation publication Parks, Fall 2007

2-Reed Karaim, “A New Era in Play,” USA Weekend, Dec. 14-16, 2007 & Kaiser Family 

    Foundation Study

3-Outdoor Industry Association, 2005 data  

4-Katherine Unger, “Graying of the Green Generation,” The Wildlife Professional, Spring 2007;

   2004 survey by McMullin