Blog

At Kids in Parks, we love connecting kids and families to nature and helping our parks thrive. That’s why we were honored to recently learn that our program has been named an Official Selection for a Youth Engagement Award by the group SHIFT (Shaping How we Invest For Tomorrow).

Every year, we dive into the statistics of the of the Kids in Parks program. The numbers tell a powerful story.

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?

The newest TRACK Trail opened at the Heritage Trail Greenway in Newton, North Carolina on November 9.

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.