Children in Nature Update

This service is provided by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA). This is our summer update.

The Children in Nature Network in the US has amazing information and reports to assist anyone with an interest in getting kids outdoors. Click here to link.

The Alberta Council on Environmental Education has a workshop called "Optimizing your Environmental Education Programs" planned for November in Edmonton. Click here for a link.

The NRPA newsletter provides a link to a Kalamazoo story on getting kids outdoors. Click here for the link.

The ARPA developed a "Benefits Catalogue". Within the document are summaries of studies that outline the benefits of recreation and leisure activities. For a link to the summary of benefits for children's activities (some are outdoor), click here.

Business Week offers us an article relating adolescent health to neighbourhood planning. The original research for this article does not appear to be available yet. Click here for the magazine article.

Recreation Management Magazine has an article on producing podcasts to promote park visits. While it is not specifically directed at children, this is a technology children might find desirable, thus boosting interest in the outdoors. Click here for the info.

From NRPA, a link to an article on a program sponsored by health insurance companies to fight childhood obesity. This reveals an interesting partner in the fight against childhood obesity. Click here for the article.

From the Lifestyle Information Network (LIN) we have this link to the Ikea Play Report. Click here for insights into children's play.

The Children in Nature Network provides a tool kit for Natural Leaders, a program aimed getting teens outdoors by recruiting other youth and young adults to act as leaders. Click here for a direct link to a page offering the tool kit downs load.

Resources are available at the OAK site (Outdoor Alliance for Kids) if you click here for the link.

This Newsweek link takes us to a US study on parents' perceptions of obesity among their own children. Click here for the article.

Here is a thought provoking idea, adding wireless internet service to our parks. Will it attract a younger element to the outdoors? Click here for an article that touches upon opposing points of view.

From Maryland State Parks, and encouraging story about Youth at Risk assigned to labour in parks for their misdeeds. Click here for this story.

Update on Children in Nature

It has been a while since my last mail out, but there is some interesting work being done that I want to share with you.

From the Winnipeg Free press an article on the study of a soil borne microbe that increases serotonin levels in the brain and appears to aid in learning. Great news for children's gardening programs! Click here for the article. Click here for a (slow loading) video discussion of the research.

Researches in Washington State conducted an experiment in a blank walled office and another equipped with flat screen tv's showing park settings. Which do you think was most restful? Click here for details of this interesting study.

For those of you that might not have had a chance to explore the "Discover the Forest" website I sent out in the last email, click here for a link to an article that describes the it and leads you to some specific sections of the site.

For info on "Why Teens are Not Involved in Out-of-school Time Programs: The Youth Perspective" click here for the results of a study. While this is not a study focussing on getting kids outdoors, it gives insight into what we have to do to attract this age group of children and young adults.

Ted Ritzer from Alberta Parks sends info on a US youth program that assists with work in National, State and other park systems called the Student Conservation Association. For a video showing their work, click here. For the history of the program, click here.

From the NRPA newsletter we have this article on the increasing popularity of natural playgrounds. Click here for the article.

In praise of physical activity...this article cited by the NRPA newsletter speaks of student's needs to be active and the academic benefits this brings. Click here for the article.

Recreation Management magazine provides us with an extensive article on the move to natural play spaces. This article has ample pictures to illustrate points made in the writing. Click here for details.

The Lifestyle information Network provides us with an Active Healthy Kids Canada report card with some warnings about the health of the youngest, most vulnerable elements of our population. Click here to see a summary of the report.

From the Children & Nature Network comes the summary report of the Grassroots Survey done in 2009. This report looks at the general condition of Children in Nature opportunities in the US (and to a very small extent, Canada). Click here for the results.

More from Ted Ritzer. This link the the Catching the Spirit Youth Society in Vancouver provides some ideas for outdoor program opportunities for kids. Click here for the link.

A study from the University of Essex in GB. suggests "A walk a day keeps the doctor at bay". The article suggests the relationship of nature to the human psyche is a key factor in determining our mood. Read the article by clicking here.

There is a Children in Nature gathering being planned in central Alberta. Alberta Recreation and Parks is NOT involved in staging this event, but I am sharing it with you as information. Click here to go to the Lak'ech Ecolodge website and look under upcoming events for more info.

Recess coaches help kids learn outdoor games and teach them how to resolve conflict on the school grounds. Click here for a link to this article from NRPA.

Sprynt Ontario provides this link for Youth Friendly Communities. Click here to look at the report on this PDF.

The Alberta Council for Environmental Education offers a link to look at the results of a survey they conducted to determine the attitudes Alberta's youth have concerning the environment. Click here to link with their website and select the polling information for review.

Please note that I will be sending you a survey tomorrow on Children in Nature. I would greatly appreciate you taking the time to complete it.

Thanks, on behalf of the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association.

Cliff Lacey

Pan-Canadian Survey to Determine a "Communities Perspective" on Children/Youth and their Connection with Nature

The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) has undertaken work on an online survey instrument for the above noted initiative, which has been made possible through a grant received from Mountain Equipment Co-op. The survey has been developed so as to seek input on strategic matters pertaining to children and youth and their perceived lack of engagement/connection with nature (the out-of-doors).

It is our intention that the Canadian Recreation and Parks Association (CPRA) partners and their members across the country will complete this survey, creating a broader understanding of the existing circumstances, programs and perceived gaps, in outdoor recreation and nature education opportunities for children and youth.

Please find below a link to an online survey designed to seek input on strategic matters pertaining to children and youth and their perceived lack of engagement/connection with nature.

Survey Link: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/239694/l8e6t
The survey should take between 20-30 minutes to fully complete. The survey does not have to be completed in one session as you can click in the top right corner of the survey to save your progress (an email will be sent to you with a link to continue). We will be making a draw for five $100 gift certificates from Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) from the individuals who complete the survey.

A link to the survey is listed below. This survey will only be available online until the end of day on March 12th, 2010.

The findings from this survey will be presented at a session at the Parks and Recreation Educational Forum and National Exchange in Niagara Falls in April. The findings will also be posted on the Lifestyle Information Network (www.lin.ca) following this event.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this important survey!

Children in Nature

Hello All!
Welcome to the New Year!

Marion Price of the Provincial Consortium on Youth in Recreation in Ontario sent a note about National Youth Week May 1 to 7. See http://youthinrecreation.org/index.htm for their homepage and links to the Week info. Also from Marion is this link to a paper on the process for including youth in decision making http://www.servicelearning.org/filemanager/download/7/YVGuide.pdf

Also from Marion is this article on programming for rural youth http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2008_05_05_RB_RuralOST.pdf
From the NRPA weekly newsletter comes a link to a site that focuses on play. There is some fantastic information you can access here http://kaboom.org/help_save_play/playful_city_usa/best_practices_play.

From an earlier issue of the NRPA Newsletter comes this link to the Web MD that outlines the psychological and physical health benefits of living near green spaces http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20091014/parks-green-spaces-protect-your-health.

From the Lifestyle Information Network (LIN) a note on the Newfoundland and Labrador plan to get kids more active. See this link for the press release http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=314995&sc=83.

For a website with 6 different papers on the revitalization of the ParticipAction program. One in particular focuses on unfit youth. Again, thanks to LIN see http://www.ijbnpa.org/series/participaction.

The final article from LIN references what the experts had to say in Nova Scotia about Technology and its affect on Recreation http://lin.ca/resource-details/15643.
From Gareth Thomson with the Alberta Council for Environmental Education we have a link for the Global, Environmental and Outdoor Education Council conference planned for May 6 - 8 in Canmore http://www.geoec.org/.

From Christiane Guilbeault at Lak'ech EcoLodge and Ranch in Westerose, AB (780-586-6288) www.lakechecolodge.ca we have been informed that Joseph Cornell has been booked for June 12/13 to come to this Lodge. See his website on http://www.sharingnature.com/. Alberta presenters/educators will also have the opportunity on June 11 to do mini-workshops which will not only showcase the talent and skills of Alberta nature educators but also provide an opportunity to network with other educators and parents who have the "wildness" of their children at heart.