kids and nature

Give Kids a Break: Academy of Pediatrics Recognizes Value of Recess

The new policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics about the importance of recess time brought back some vivid memories of my days on the playground. At the risk of … Read more

My Life with a Raccoon

Please join us in wishing a very happy retirement to Donna Miller, NWF’s art director, who worked at Ranger Rick magazine for 40 years! We thought you’d enjoy reading more about her amazing career. Read more

Tree House Living Room

Ranger Rick Goes High Tech

My kids know that I write for Ranger Rick magazine and, I am sorry to say, they are not all that impressed. Don’t get me wrong. They love the magazine. But when … Read more

What the Election Means for Environmental Education Moving Forward

When the dust settled on November 6 and election-weary minds began to assess how their issues would fair in a second Obama Administration, the first feeling I emoted was relief. Over … Read more

Holiday gifts ideas for outdoor play.

Holiday Gifts for Outdoor Play: Think Outside the (X) Box

We have updated gift ideas for 2013! Check out some Gifts for Kids Who Love Animals >> Paging through the latest toy catalog from one of my favorite department stores, … Read more

Getting Kids Back Outside—NWF Tackles the Problem

Our announcement of NWF’s 10 Million Kids Outdoors goal reminds me of a journey that dramatizes the serious nature of the problem we face. On a flight from Washington D.C. … Read more

Green Roof on PS 41 in New York

Green Roof Inspires New York School: Video

I grew up watching movies set in New York City, so I have many pre-conceived images of life there. A peaceful garden on top of a school was not one of … Read more

Greening the Way for our Kids’ Future

We all need an oasis. Standing on New York City Eco-School PS41’s new green roof, I found a truly inspiring one.  Seeing the whole sky, feeling the late summer breeze, … Read more

Man (and Daughter) Meet Baby Snapping Turtle

Yesterday, while leaving the office on a lunch appointment, I saw something small scamper under a coworker’s pickup truck. Peering under the truck, I concluded it was probably a baby … Read more

Toad Hunting with Grandpa

I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and didn’t really experience wilderness until I was in college. But because of my grandfather’s creative imagination, I learned that to … Read more