News – Kids Discover Nature

News

Two Reasons to Spend Saturday Outdoors

by MCC

There are two good reasons to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather this weekend — Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing Day and also National Public Lands Day. The purpose of these celebrations is to encourage families to spend time in the outdoors while learning about and caring for our national heritage at the same time.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is always celebrated on the fourth Saturday in September. The federally recognized day brings together sportsmen and women from across America to celebrate the rich tradition of hunting, sport shooting and fishing through organized local, state and national events aimed at introducing new audiences to the outdoors. National Hunting and Fishing day events are taking place all over the country and you can easily find one near you by checking checking out the official NHF Day website. Many offer opportunities to fish, hunt, target shoot or participate in workshops, contests, learn outdoor and camping skills, see live birds of prey and much, much, more.

National Public Lands Day is a celebration of our nations public lands. Each year, for the past 16 years, citizens of this country “lend a hand to the lands” that we use to hike, bike, climb, swim, fish, hunt, explore or picnic and just plain relax. One third of America’s land is in public hands, and it’s our duty to maintain them. An estimated 130,000 volunteers will grab shovels and gloves to improve the nation’s public lands on every fourth Saturday of September as part of National Public Lands Day, an annual event held at over 2,000 sites across the country. Not only is it a chance for you and your family to tour a well-known park and or monument but it is also a great lesson in stewardship, volunteerism and responsibility for your kids.

News

Go Outside and Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency

by Editorial Staff

It’s big news. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) linked a lack of vitamin D in youth to heart disease, diabetes and other ailments. According to the CDC, nine percent of those ages 1 through 21 — about 7.6 million children, adolescents and young adults — have Vitamin D levels so low they could be considered deficient, while an additional 61 percent — 50.8 million — have higher levels, but still low enough to be insufficient, according to an analysis of federal data.

What is the cause? Among other things researchers referenced the amount of time children spend indoors watching TV and playing video games. If weight issues weren’t reason enough to boot your kids out the door to play, now there is this on top of it.

More research is planned to understand the role of vitamin D plays in children’s health. If nothing else, it is a reminder that outdoor play is essential for a healthy childhood. Let’s all work together to prevent vitamin D deficiency by making the commitment to take the kids outside every day! Following this link to learn more about the statistics provided by the CDC and learn more about the bebefits of spending time outdoors,

Here are some links to some other posts of mine that offer ideas for outdoor activities:
1. Summer days
2. Flower power
3. Make mud pies
4. Hiking

Please add your favorite outside activities to my comments. Once I have a good number of ideas I would like to develop a survey that will poll my readers on what the 10 top outdoor activities are for children. Thanks in advance for your input!

Two Reasons to Spend Saturday Outdoors

Go Outside and Prevent Vitamin D Deficiency

Take the 30-Day Outdoor Challenge