August 13, 2016
Second to traffic, the risk of playing outside that I worry about most is the harm that can come from bugs. I’m not squeamish. I’ve held my share of roly polies and caterpillars, and I’ve rescued plenty of good spiders. The bugs I’m talking about here, of course, are ticks and mosquitoes.
Read moreAugust 08, 2016
If it’s so good for kids to play outside, why don’t they? Here are some of the reasons school administrators, teachers, childcare providers, and parents give for limiting outdoor play time:
Read moreAugust 06, 2016
Arkansas’s first nature-based preschool is scheduled to open this fall. Ferncliff Nature School offers 1,200 acres for children to explore on the grounds of Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock.
Read moreJuly 27, 2016
I’ve been reading for a while now about how important it is for children to spend time outside. This seems fairly obvious, but unfortunately kids are spending more time indoors than ever before. Elementary schools are limiting recess in order to have more time to prepare kids for standardized tests. Childcare centers are worried about liability and risk associated with play equipment. And then, of course, there’s screen time keeping kids indoors. Recently I came across a term for the movement (or one of them) that is focused on giving children more opportunities to play and learn outside – Educating Children Outdoors (ECO). If you are wondering why ECO is important, here are some of the many benefits:
Read more