National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ movement

“Sixty minutes of daily unstructured free play 

is essential to children’s physical and mental health.”
~American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008

National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ movement is connecting American families to the outdoors to raise happier, healthier children with a life-long love of nature.

National Wildlife Federation has just launched an ambitious campaign to get 100,000 pledges by year-end for our innovative Be Out There™ initiative. 

By taking the Be Out There Pledge, you’ll be joining the movement to ensure all American children reap the benefits of outdoor time – simply by promising to start with your own family.

Engaging in regular outdoor play helps your children by:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving health
• Increasing performance in school

When you take the Be Out There™ Pledge, you’ll get helpful tips and fun, interactive tools to help your family get the most education and enjoyment out of the great outdoors.

The 2010 Endangered Species Art Contest: Enter Now!

There is still time to enter the 2010 Endangered Species Art Contest!

The nationwide Endangered Species Day Art contest provides students with an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork.

The deadline for submissions is March 26th, so submit your endangered species artwork soon!

See below for link to guidelines and rules...

This art contest is open to students in grades K through 12. Judging will take place in four categories, K-Grade 2, Grades 3-6, Grades 7-9, Grades 10-12, with one national winner being chosen from the semi-finalists in these four categories.

Endangered Species Day is a celebration of our nation’s wildlife and wild places, and was started in 2006 by the United States Congress. The annual art contest is an integral part of the fifth annual national Endangered Species Day, May 21, 2010.

The contest’s winner will be honored with their name engraved on a special trophy designed by a gifted young artist, Meredith Graf of New Orleans, LA and will also be recognized at a reception in Washington, D.C. in May, 2010.

Visit stopextinction.org/esd/194-esd-art.html for contest guidelines and to see the art that won in past years.

The contest is organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Endangered Species Coalition, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art/ University of New Orleans.

National Wildlife Week - March 15-21, 2010

 

Celebrate National Wildlife Week 

March 15-21, 2010 

Get Wild, Child!

See below for ideas from the National Wildlife Federation for how to celebrate an entire week dedicated to wildlife and the outdoors!

Studies show that children who spend time outside are more creative, have less stress and perform better in school. Help your child unlock their learning and imaginative potential "after-school" during National Wildlife Week. Celebrate nature and jump-start your spring with fun outdoor activities, tips for gardening with children and more.
Get started:

1. Download your custom Family Activity Passport

2. Spend an extra hour this week outside with your children observing wildlife and doing fun outdoor activities.

3. Capture the wildlife in your neighborhood - with your camera! Children can enter the youth competition in the National Wildlife Federation Photo Contest.

 Digital Outdoor Toolbox

• Get a Green Hour year-round with more free outdoor activities for families 
• Find animals and plants to watch for in your state 
• Use your zip code to find a local spot to play outside or watch for wildlife 

 Exploration and Education

• 16 Tips for developing your child's green thumb
• More ideas for gardening with children
• Make your yard wildlife-friendly 
• Help your child green their school experience too with Eco-Schools USA 
• Make sure America's kids get a sound outdoor education; support No Child Left Inside

The above information is from the National Wildlife Federation. It is being provided here as a resource for those interested in environmental education, wildlife conservation and other environment-focused topics.