Local

New York Times – November 29, 2009

New York Times Draws Attention to Forest Kindergarten

By Liz Leyden
Schools around the country have been planting gardens and planning ever more elaborate field trips in hopes of reconnecting children with nature. The forest kindergarten at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is one of a handful in the United States that are taking that concept to another level: its 23 pupils spend three hours each day outside regardless of the weather. [+]

• [>] Read the article.

Local

Hurlburt Field – November 19, 2009

Outdoor Classroom Sets New Standard for Military

By Joe McFadden
The outdoor classroom of Florida's Hurlburt Field Youth Center recently became the first certified Nature Explore classroom in the Air Force. The Nature Explore Classroom Certification Program is a national initiative that recognizes schools and other organizations that have made a commitment to providing outdoor classrooms and comprehensive programming to help children use the natural world as an integral part of learning. [+]

• [>] Read the article.

Research & Studies

City of Cambridge – November 24, 2009

Cambridge Task Force Releases Playground Report

The City of Cambridge Healthy Parks and Playgrounds Task Force has released its findings in the form of a 30-page report. The task force was created to explore the role of parks and playgrounds in the health, learning, and overall development of children, and the ways in which they support strong families and communities. It was charged with creating recommendations for new and innovative approaches to the design and operation of future public parks and playgrounds. [+]

• [>] Visit the task force website.

State | Campaign/Initiative

EastBayRI.com – November 25, 2009

Rhode Island Audubon Receives Federal Grant for Education

By Michael Yoder
U.S. Senator Jack Reed recently visited the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Environmental Education Center in Bristol to award a $143,000 federal grant to the society to provide instructional opportunities for students with limited economic resources. The money will be used in the Audubon’s Environmental Education for Urban Schools Initiative to bring 4,500 students yearly from schools throughout the state. [+]

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National | Campaign/Initiative

National Parks Traveler – October 24, 2009

Rocky Mountain Video Asks, Who Will Care for Parks Tomorrow?

By Kurt Repanshek
A new video produced by the Rocky Mountain Nature Association is part of a $10 million campaign to create a next-generation endowment that will fund in perpetuity education programs in the park. Narrated by Bill Kurtis, the video introduces viewers to the park and raises an important question: Who will care for Rocky Mountain National Park, and the other parks, after the Baby Boomers fade away? [+]

• [>] Watch the video.

National | Campaign/Initiative

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – August 27, 2009

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Launches Video Game for Kids

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has launched a new online video game that aims to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment. Designed for children ages 8 to 11, Neighborhood Explorers features information on planting gardens, backyard birding, urban wildlife, endangered species, and conservation. It also rewards kids for documenting environmental projects and local wildlife in their area. [+]

• [>] Read the press release.
• [>] Play the online video game.

Commentary | Health | Media & Culture

CBS News – August 06, 2009

CBS Puts Spotlight on Nature-Deficit Disorder

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Jonathan Dorn, editor-in-chief of Backpacker magazine, made a recent appearance on The Early Show to discusses the best places in the country for raising an outdoor kid. In doing so, Dorn provided a succinct definition of nature-deficit disorder and offered advice on how city dwellers can help their children connect with nature. [+]

• [>] Watch the video.

National | Health | Resource

Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design – July 28, 2009

Fact Sheet Summarizes Benefits of Gardening for Children

Third- to fifth-grade students who participated in a one-year gardening program showed a significant increase in self-understanding and the ability to work in groups compared to nonparticipating students. That’s one of the many findings summarized in a new fact sheet on the benefits of gardening for children published by the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design at the University of Colorado at Denver. [+]

• [>] Read the fact sheet.

National

Targeting “tweens,” the U.S. Forest Service and Ad Council launch national campaign

The campaign primarily aims to reach "tweens" (children ages 8-12) and their parents. The goal is to encourage children to get outside and experience nature first-hand, instilling a life-long love for nature by fostering a connection with urban and national forests. [+]

• [>] visite the Web site
• [>] read the press release

International

Sunday Times (London) – April 26, 2009

Outdoor Preschools Gain Notice in UK

By Lucy Denyer
The Sunday Times of London recently reported on the Farley Outdoor Learning nursery in Wiltshire, one of a handful of preschools springing up in the UK that emphasize getting children outdoors. The report describes parents who send their children to the school as part of a “global movement of people who are starting to realize that keeping children cooped up indoors all day simply isn’t healthy.” [+]