Give Your Kids a “Green Hour” Outdoors
By Chris Baskind in The Daily Footstep
It’s tough to teach kids an appreciation of nature when they’re hunched over a video game or computer screen. The National Wildlife Federation has a good idea: the Green Hour. The concept is simple — an hour of daily, unstructured playtime outdoors. Studies show kids who play outdoors are healthier, have lower stress levels, and better respect for themselves and the environment. Want to get started? Visit the Green Hour website for ideas and inspiration.
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Thanks for linking to our site. Be sure to use the NatureFind tool — you just plug in your zip code and you can find all the best parks, nature centers and trails near you!
http://www.greenhour.org
Anne Keisman
Green Hour
Ummm… Why in the world do we need a website to promote playing outside? This is the silliest thing I've ever heard of…
Because kids spend too much time indoors, their parents spend too much time indoors, and everyone can use some support doing new things.
I know it seems silly, but there are major studies that find that the average child spends 40 hours a week staring at some kind of screen TV, computer, cell phone. And there is also research that links that kind of sedentary behavior with higher obesity rates, an increase in symptoms of depression , ADHD, etc… A very convincing case is made in Richard Louv's book The Last Child in the Woods.
Anne Keisman
Green Hour