Best Practices

• Organization: Kids in Trails (http://www.kidsinparks.com/)
• Date Published: January 3, 2014

Kids in Parks provides a network of family friendly trails, called TRACK Trails, that connect various public lands in an attempt to get kids “un-plugged”, outdoors and reconnected with nature for their health and the health of our parks. The section for parents on Planning the Hike has tips and suggestions that can help make sure children have a positive nature adventure.

http://www.kidsinparks.com/parents-teachers

• Author(s): U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)

• Organization: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)

• Date Published: January 1, 2012

Let’s Go Outside! is a program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service that aims to get children into nature. It offers online activities and links to programs in nature aimed at four groups, kids, families, educators, and youth group leaders.

https://www.fws.gov/nevada/Lets_Go_Oustide/index.html

• Date Published: June 6, 2012

This fact sheet offers some recommendations for increasing opportunities for active play:

http://www.participaction.com/pdf/Lifestyle-Tips-June-2012-EN.pdf

• Organization: ParticipACTION http://www.participaction.com
• Date Published: January 2, 2014

On June 21st Canadians can take advantage of the most daylight hours of the year and celebrate the annual Longest Day of Play. This site offers Longest Day of Play ideas as well as posters, a logo, social media guide and tip sheets to get you playing!

http://www.participaction.com/get-moving/longest-day-of-play

• Date Published: January 6, 2014

Meetup is an online social networking portal that facilitates offline group meetings in various localities around the world. Meetup allows members to find and join groups unified by a common interest, such as politics, books, games, movies, health, pets, careers or hobbies. Users enter their postal code or their city and the topic they want to meet about, and the website helps them arrange a place and time to meet.

http://outdoor-fitness.meetup.com/cities/ca/bc/vancouver

• Organization: BCRPA http://www.bcrpa.bc.ca
• Date Published: January 2, 2014

May 10 is Move for Health Day. This site offers tools, resources and grants for community leaders to create activities for the day to get communities active and moving. Communities can register their events and search other events for inspiration.

http://www.bcrpa.bc.ca/mfhd

• Author(s): Health and Environment Program

• Organization: National Environmental Education Foundation http://www.neefusa.org/

• Date Published: December 31, 2011

“The Initiative educates pediatric health care providers about prescribing outdoor activities to children. The program also connects health care providers with local nature sites, so they can refer families to safe and easily accessible outdoor areas.”

https://www.neefusa.org/resource/children-and-nature-initiative-rx-outdoor-activity-training-presentation

• Author(s): Children and Nature Network (http://www.childrenandnature.org/)

• Organization: Children and Nature Network (http://www.childrenandnature.org/)

• Date Published: January 1, 2012

The Natural Leaders Legacy Initiative presents an opportunity to train, activate, and support some of the best young leaders of our time. We will do this by building strong intergenerational grassroots leadership in communities nationwide to solve Nature-Deficit Disorder. These leaders will be equipped with outings certification (to move their communities outside) and community leadership skills (to engage their communities in sustainable solutions for Nature-Deficit Disorder). We know that the path towards solutions runs through empowering communities–this is the way to build a legacy, to build a movement.

Let’s G.O.! (Get Outside) is a youth-inspired, youth led Children & Nature initiative to rally people of all ages to Play, Serve and Celebrate during the month of April. We’re encouraging intergenerational groups of people to get outside, be active, have fun and connect with nature. Families, teachers, students, mentors, grandparents and grand friends – especially children and youth – are invited to participate.

https://www.childrenandnature.org/initiatives/