A friend once told me that I have a ‘crush’ on the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. While it might sound strange it is true, I LOVE our mountains. But there … Read more
Be Out There
Study: Children’s Books Are No Longer Where the Wild Things Are
As the former wolf-costumed star of a classic of the genre, I know a thing or two about children’s books and how they affect us. A big part of their … Read more
House Transportation Bill Would Defund Programs to Help Kids Walk to School Safely
The House Transportation and Infrastructure committee released its transportation bill yesterday, and it’s already been billed “a march of horribles” that would strip funding from public transit, urban improvements for … Read more
National Parks Can Help Make America’s Kids Healthier…and That Helps Parks, Too.
A lot happened at America’s Summit on National Parks, which met this week in the large, confusing Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington. Its purpose was plan … Read more
Gov. O’Malley’s Proposed Maryland Budget Makes the Case for Connecting Kids to Nature
My Terps are going through a rough patch, but there’s one area where Maryland has proven a great leader—its attention to kids’ outdoor activity and environmental literacy. Maryland Governor Martin … Read more
Top Reasons Why Your Family Will Love Visiting National Parks
I’m packing for our first-ever trip to Everglades National Park. It’s my kids’ winter break, and when we sat down as a family to figure out where we wanted … Read more
A Mountain Wonderland
Just because it is winter doesn’t mean that you have to stay inside! There are many ways Be Out There and explore even if it is cold out! This past … Read more
Study: Kids in Green Neighborhoods Play Outside More
Sometimes it takes academia a while to catch up with things we ‘know’ at a gut level. Case in point: a recent study published in the International Journal of Health … Read more
Wilderness Therapy Uses Nature to Help People Heal
Many of us have stories about taking solace in nature’s simple beauty, but few realize just how crucial a lifeline it can be. Take the story of 24-year-old Gwen Miller … Read more
A Resolution Good for the Whole Family: 5 Tips for Spending More Time Outdoors
I have to start by saying that New Year’s resolutions aren’t really my thing. All too often my resolutions hit the dust bin after the first or second week of … Read more
