For Parents, Teachers, Leaders, Youth and Health Professionals

For Parents For Teachers For Leaders For YouthFor Health Professionals

For Parents

Ideas and Inspiration

The National Wildlife Federation has a terrific resource in Green Hour. The recommendation is for children to play in nature for an hour a day. Green Hour provides everything you need, if you want help.logo_green_hour
Find Nearby Nature The Green Hour site also contains a handy directory of nearby nature, which you can search by ZIP code.nfheaderleft1
Parent’s Guide to Nature Play Green Hearts, an organization affiliated with the national movement, presents 20 concise pages you can use to learn about what makes great nature play, why it is important, and how you can restore it to your children’s daily lives.Green Hearts logo
Music for your Family Founder Jenny Morgan has recorded a CD of professionally produced music, some featuring local youth singers, that will get your family up, excited about nature, and ready to head outside! The music is called: Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature. Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature CD Cover
Summer Program The State of Ohio has a fabulous program called Explore the Outdoors. Complete activities in the Activity Guide to be eligible for prizes!explore photo
Summer CampsSummer camps help make your kids happier, healthier and smarter! Try a nature camp this year. Just a week can make for an affordable break for kids and parents! Search for camps here.https://www.acacamps.org/campers-families
Family Nature ClubsFamilies who love the outdoors can help other families have fun, too, by inviting a playgroup or a neighbor, or scheduling a monthly outing! Need help? Check out Family Nature Clubs Toolkit!
Trails and Biking Ohio’s source for bicycling information (helmet laws, safe routes to school, and more) is Ohio Bikeways.

For Teachers

Watch and/or Read

We have a short video about integrating nature play into early education curriculum in a way that fulfills state requirements. We have a video about the finer points of attention, and how nature play increases the ability to pay attention in different ways, hone attention skills, and alleviate the symptoms of ADD and ADHD. Contact Alice Hohl for information.

Click here for Recommended Reading

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Music for Your Classroom

Founder Jenny Morgan has recorded a CD of professionally produced music, some featuring local youth singers, that will get your students up, excited about nature, and ready to head outside!

The music is called: Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature.

Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature CD Cover
Classroom Materials and GuidanceThe Environmental Education Council of Ohio is an expert on resources for you in your community. Curriculum, guides, and personal help are available.eecologo-copy
Speakers for training sessions We can also speak to groups of teachers, small groups, large groups, administrators, or parents. See below regarding our Speaker’s Bureau. group.jpg
Information for parents or teacher meetings The Collaborative has access to statistics about “Nature Deficit Disorder” and about evidence that nature play and environmental education increases test scores across many subjects. We have this information in printed form, in a PowerPoint, and in other formats. To get the info from the source, click here. OR contact us for info.

For Leaders

Hire our professional speakers! We have experience speaking to groups large and small. Live music and engaging multimedia are frequently included in our presentations.Click here for info. dsc07889.JPG
Join our Collaborative! Membership varies by region, but is free in many cases. Join your local collaborative using the links on our homepage.Ohio Leave No Child Inside Logo
Partner on an Event!We host great events each year, and would love to work together with you on an event. Together we can broaden the audience and save on costs.Email us with your ideas.Firstlady
See what other areas are doing Check out movements in other cities and states, plus a national map.
Support Federal Legislation The No Child Left Inside Act is poised to become an important addition to the legislation that affects all schools. It would provide grants for Environmental Education. Learn more. Our Collaborative is working hard to convince our Senators and Representatives to support the Act.

For Youth

Ideas and Inspiration

The National Wildlife Federation has a terrific resource in Green Hour. The recommendation is for you to play, work or relax in nature for an hour a day. Green Hour provides everything you need, if you want help.logo_green_hour
Find Nearby Nature The Green Hour site also contains a handy directory of nearby nature, which you can search by ZIP code.nfheaderleft1
Music for you Founder Jenny Morgan has recorded a CD of professionally produced music, some featuring local youth singers, that will get you up and ready to head outside! The music is called: Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature. It’s available for download, too!Nature Needs Kids and Kids Need Nature CD Cover
Summer Program The State of Ohio has a fun program called Explore the Outdoors. Complete activities in the Activity Guide to be eligible for prizes!explore photo
Summer CampsSummer camps help make you happier, healthier and smarter! Try a nature camp this year. Just a week can be an affordable break for kids and parents! Many strong friendships and amazing memories are created at summer camps each year.Search for camps here.https://www.acacamps.org/campers-families
Join National Youth LeadershipOne of the most important challenges for this movement is to engage a new generation of “Natural Leaders” — teens, college students and other young people whose personal connection to nature comes from their experiences in the wild places in their own neighborhoods, woods, fields, arroyos, mountains and oceans.Check out Natural Leaders!
Trails and Biking Could you bike to school? Or to your favorite places? Of course you can! It’s healthier, better for the Earth, and better for you and your neighborhood! Ohio’s source for bicycling information (helmet laws, safe routes to school, and more) is Ohio Bikeways.

Books, articles and links about the Leave No Child Inside movement

The book that started the movement: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder, by Richard Louv.

A comprehensive listing of articles and media coverage of the movement:
www.cnaturenet.org.

Statistics and research proving that nature and the outdoors makes children happier, healthier and smarter: Check the Research link at Children & Nature Network (The national network)

Learning with Nature Idea Book: Creating Nurturing Outdoor Spaces for Children (Field-tested principles for effective outdoor learning environments) 2007 Arbor Day Foundation ISBN: 978-0-9634657-0-2

Check out this blog on the Children and Nature movement.