children and nature awareness month challenge
The Children and Nature Network , chairman Richard Louv, has declared the month of April to be Children and Nature Awareness Month. If you know me or have followed my blog for a while you know that nature is very important to my little ladies and me, not just being in nature, but KNOWING and RESPECTING nature. Here is Araina and Newton enjoying the beautiful weather today.
Recently, I read an article in the NY Times called Playtime is Over, by David Elkind, he said something that floored me (in reference to Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods)- “our young people are more aware of threats to the global environment than they are of the natural world in their own backyards.” This statement has really stuck with me. We teach our children to make the correct environmental choices and be aware of our environmental footprint, but are we REALLY teaching them WHY they should be doing this? Are we doing more than simply saying, “Save a tree, don’t use that paper towel.” Are we teaching them RESPECT for the plants and creatures as well as telling them the consequences to poor environmental choices? Getting them outside AND going outside with them is the best way to learn respect for the beautiful Earth we live on. Turn off the TV and video games this month, climb a tree, look under a rock, play in the mud, plant some seeds, eat a dandelion leaf, etc……explore YOUR backyard!
So I have a challenge for you that I know will be quite easy for many of you in the blog world; I know how many of the bloggers I visit respect and care that our children get outdoors on a daily basis. Lets show the world how we do it; in honor of Children and Nature Awareness Month, go outside everyday, rain or shine; then take a picture each day, for the rest of April, of your children outdoors and post it. Just a single picture will do; words aren’t even necessary. Lets spread the word and go outdoors!
Leave your blog link below if you’re with me!
”That’s all.”
Trackbacks and Pingbacks
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We play outside daily – I can’t say enough about the importance of this daily ritual! I direct a nature-based preschool so I see all the benefits firsthand of outdoor play and environmental education. I highly encourage everyone to read Richard Louv’s book!
Okay, I’m super late! We have been outdoors, but not everyday, so now is the time!! Some of the things we’ve done outdoors this month include:
hiking
fishing
nature walk
older daughter- bb gun target shooting(yes, I’m crazy for letting this happen!)
shooting bows
freeze tag
picnic
Now I’m ready to go out and do more!! Thanks for the motivation!
Creative and Curious Kids!
We’re in! I mean out (side)!
I just found this today, but count me in! I read Last Child in the Woods last year. It’s fabulous. Thanks for the challenge!
We are always outside doing fun things in the sun, so please count us in for this. I will post about the challenge today on my blog…
http://sunriselearninglab.blogspot.com
Just found this but we’re in!
Better Late than never. Count us in.
we are so in! we have spent this month outside so far….
*nature walks
*free ranging with the chickens
*lots of bike riding
*turtle finding and playing
*planting and maintaining our garden
Hi, We are game. Bring on the outdoors. – Kathi.
http://www.semi-handmade.com
I’m in! We’ve been outside for the last three weeks, riding bikes, taking walks, and getting started on the garden. This week we’ve made Dandelion cookies and made up a new game. I’ve blogged the game at thebigboat.blogspot.com. I don’t think I got a photo of the cookies, they are all gone!
Excited to complete this challenge! http://www.adamandtawniewest.blogspot.com
Sign me up too! What a great challenge…I wish I’d found it sooner, but I’m excited to join in now!
http://oakbeefarm.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/get-outdoors-challenge/
Just reading about this challenge on other people’s blogs-don’t know if I will have time to post a picture everyday, but we definitely go outside everyday and I always take pictures…too many pictures! Here’s a link to my latest outside with the kids post:
http://www.gsheller.com/2010/04/another-trip-to-white-oak-canyon.html
Of course that is beyond the usual playing outside on our own property!
Just reading about this challenge on other people’s blogs-don’t know if I will have time to post a picture everyday, but we definitely outside everyday and I always take pictures…too many pictures! Here’s a link to my latest outside with the kids post:
http://www.gsheller.com/2010/04/another-trip-to-white-oak-canyon.html
Of course that is beyond the usual playing outside on our own property!
The irony of it kills me! Sesame Street telling kids to leave the tv set and get outside!
)) Well, I guess I need to get outside and take a pic before the light is gone!
My friend Deb has inspired me to do this challenge, I love this idea & look forward to capturing a moment of our outdoor time for the rest of the month!
This is great… We are outside everyday. We would love to join in. Better late than never!
Thanks!
Hey there! Just wanted to share our experience with the challenge yesterday. Today will be much more challenging, with rain headed here all day! I’m at http://littlecallahans.blogspot.com/. Thanks!
~Jenni
Showing up late to the challenge. Maybe we’ve been outside too much.
A bit behind with joining but we’ve been doing it anyway, without even knowing!
So off to pop your badge on my blog
We’re a bit late, but want to join in the fun nonetheless! Wish I had seen this sooner! Maybe I can play until mid May!!
I am at http://www.twigandtoadstool.blogspot.com
Thanks for inspiring us all to get our butts outside!
Maureen
p.s. isn’t it horrible (and funny) when i spell words like “genius” incorrectly?
p.s. my blog is http://www.themsrevolution.com, and i’m getting ready to post about the challenge, which, by the way, is genious!
i’m a little late to the party but we’ve been outside every day this month anyway so far, and we’ve even taken some pictures! so… from here on out, we’ll be intentional and concious of what we’re doing and why it’s important. thank you so much for the inspiration!
we’re in! i know what we’ll be doing tomorrow, picking hundreds of dandelions!