National Wildlife Week

Here's a disturbing statistic: Children are spending about half as much time outdoors as they did 20 years ago.  A significant portion of the additional time indoors is spent in front of the television, computer, and other media devices.  It's no wonder the childhood obesity rate has doubled in the same time period!

Although children who spend time outdoors are more likely to be active and lean, there are other benefits to outdoor play.  Studies have shown that spending time outdoors enhances imagination and attention spans, decreases aggression, and boosts classroom performance.  Also of note, children who regularly spend time in nature tend to be better stewards of the environment as adults.

Check out the National Wildlife Federation's customized resources and activities for celebrating National Wildlife Week at home, school, and play.

These are some of my favorite Barefoot Books products for teaching children about wildlife: