Blog

Father and son in the forest

Why Kids in Parks?

In today's world, kids spend 7.65 hours per day on some kind of screened device. Compare that to a mere 7 minutes that the average child spends in unstructured outdoor play. These numbers are having a profound effect on our kids' physical and mental health. Time spent active outdoors has been shown to improve health issues, from obesity to ADHD, and the well-being of everyone. But where do you start?
by Adam Roades, December 13th, 2017
National Parks are fee-free on August 25, 2017

Celebrate 101 Years in National Parks

On August 25, the National Park Service celebrates its 101st birthday! For 101 years, our parks have proved again and again why they are America's "best idea." Not only do they provide opportunities for people from around the country and world to immerse themselves in beauty and rich heritage of our natural resources, but they work diligently to protect and preserve those resources for the future. To celebrate, every National Park is inviting you to visit for free on August 25! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that park you've always wanted to visit or hike that TRACK Trail you've been dreaming of.
by Adam Roades, August 24th, 2017

Students Engage in the New Citizen Science TRACK Trail at their Elementary School

On April 17, Kids in Parks celebrated the grand opening of the Haw Creek Elementary School’s Citizen Science / STEM TRACK Trail in Asheville, N.C. The celebration was held in conjunction with the school’s Earth Week, and coincided with the North Carolina State Science Festival. The trail materials were overlaid on the school’s existing half-mile hiking trail. Throughout the week, teachers and their students flocked to the trail to learn about science found in nature through hands-on activities performed at a series of experiment stations.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

Kids in Parks Invited to International Seminar for Kids in Nature

As Americans, it’s easy for us to recognize the issues surrounding children and their lack of connection to and interaction with nature here in the United States; but the problem of children disconnecting from nature is truly a global challenge. In March, Kids in Parks Director Jason Urroz attended the Salzburg Global Seminar’s session titled, “The Child in the City: Health, Parks, and Play,” to work with 50 leaders representing 23 countries to address the multiple facets of this important issue.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017

Patients, Doctors, and Rangers Brave Weather on National Park Rx Day

On April 23, the Kids in Parks program joined the National Park Service, National ParkRx initiative, and several other park prescription programs from across the country in celebrating the second annual National Park Rx Day. The annual ceremony takes place on the last day of National Park Week, and doctors nationwide prescribe the events to their patients to get them active outdoors and connect them with the health benefits associated with spending time in parks.
by Jason Urroz, May 1st, 2017