HEALTH – There is growing evidence of the physical and mental health benefits of contact with nature, as outlined earlier in this report. Spending time in nature is free, requires no special equipment, is something that nearly everyone can do and offers not only the opportunity for increased physical activity, but also stress relief and experiential learning. That makes it a perfect fit for initiatives aimed at improving public health. These strategies will advance public health priorities while increasing the amount of time children spend in the natural world:
Strategy #3: Launch a public awareness campaign on the benefits of outdoor play for children’s health.
As mentioned throughout this report, the Ohio Leave No Child Inside Collaboratives is launching a Public Awareness Campaign this fall. The campaign will provide consistent messaging and resources to organizations which impact the lives of children throughout Ohio, including organizations in the health field.