Help Us Connect Kids to Nature
We invite you to attend the Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside 4th Annual Summit
SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 2015 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Dayton, Ohio
Daily outdoor play makes kids healthier, happier and smarter — and you can make it easier for kids to access the outdoors at schools, parks and homes. Join local efforts to build access to nature for children during this 4th annual summit.
- Review local nature play areas
- Keynote panel and presentations featuring best practices and resources
- Learn how you can become part of this important work
- Hands-on sessions held outdoors
REGISTRATION REQUIRED and can be found here.
Visit metroparks.org or call (937) 275-7275 for more information
See flyer MVLNCI_Flyer_HelpConnectKids and Public Agenda MVNCLI Summit Feb 21 2015 and help us spread the word. We are also trying something new where parents and kids are joining us for part of the summit on an outdoor adventure. Check it out here MVLNCI_Flyer_ConnectYourKids
For reference these can also be found on the Miami Valley region page of Ohio LNCI Collaboratives.
Continue to visit our facebook page Get Out In Nature at https://www.facebook.com/get.out.in.nature?ref=hl to keep up with our latest communications and general event information.
Here is an article by Kristen Wicker to help us promote our event
MIAMI VALLEY LEAVE NO CHILD INSIDE SUMMIT SHOWCASES IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN PLAYING INDEPENDENTLY OUTDOORS
New this year, parents and children are invited to outdoor play session during afternoon of Feb. 21 summit.
DAYTON, Ohio, Feb. 10, 2015 — Children ages 8 to 18 are spending an average of more than seven hours a day in front of a screen or engaged with audio media, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Research by the Children & Nature Network shows only 6 percent of children ages 9 to 13 play outdoors on their own.
The result is an effect dubbed “nature deficit disorder” by Richard Louv, co-founder of the national nonprofit Children & Nature Network. It’s outlined in his book Last Child in the Woods, which points out the disconnect between children and families with nature — and the benefits that would result from reconnecting and having frequent, varied opportunities for unstructured play outdoors.
Those who’d like to join local efforts to connect children and families with nature will come away with new resources, action steps and connections by attending the fourth annual Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Summit, held from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave. Five Rivers MetroParks and the Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Network, a chapter of the statewide Leave No Child Inside initiative, have partnered to present the summit.
“Kids are hungry to discover more about nature” said Doug Horvath, an education supervisor for Five Rivers MetroParks. “Independent, outdoor play allows children to become builders, engage in more imaginative free time and helps to makes them healthier and smarter.”
New this year, parents and children are invited to join the summit at 2:30 p.m. for the Nature Club for Families program. They will play outdoors while learning how families can explore parks and enjoy nature. Afternoon program attendees also will help summit participants create effective ways to engage more children and families with nature.
“We hope to create a form of civic leaders, only on a family scale,” Horvath said. “They can create groups for getting outside with families that live near to them.”
Reservations are required to attend the summit and afternoon program. Call 937-275-7275 or visit www.metroparks.org and search for the Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Summit (program L10) and Nature Club for Families (program M144).
Also new to the summit is a presentation of the OUTstanding Teacher Award from Five Rivers MetroParks. Awardees will be honored with a plaque, as well as a prize package worth $800 for their classrooms. Funded through the James M. Cox Jr. Arboretum Foundation’s Kettering Grant, the award is for teachers providing students with outdoor, environmental experiences that inspire interest in and positive attitudes about nature.
“There is no better teacher than mother nature,” Horvath said. “The more we can spread the message and facilitate locations for children to explore, the more we help to inspire them to find a connection with nature.”
ABOUT FIVE RIVERS METROPARKS
Five Rivers MetroParks is a nationally renowned park system composed of natural area parks, gardens, high-quality river corridors, urban parks and a network of recreation trails, celebrating more than 50 years of preserving green space and natural areas. Five Rivers MetroParks protects the region’s natural heritage and provides outdoor experiences that inspire a personal connection with nature. Educational programs and recreational opportunities are offered year-round for all ages. To learn more about Five Rivers MetroParks, log onto www.metroparks.org or call 937-275-PARK.