healthykids
Forsaking ‘Angry Birds’ for Bird Songs “
four hours in front of a screen every day,” says Barbara Erickson, president of The Trustees of Reservations conservation nonprofi t, in Sharon, Massachusetts. One way to disconnect kids from electronics is to go camping. Such educational, fresh air exercise is inclusive and inexpensive. David Finch, superintendent of the Dunes Edge Campground, in Provincetown, Massachusetts, suggests borrowed gear for the fi rst outing. A backyard campout can be a rewarding trial run; each child can ask a friend to stay over and a parent and the family dog can participate. Once kids have the hang of sleeping
NATURE LOVERS W
by Avery Mack
hether urban or rural, children in our state average 4.5 minutes outdoors and
somewhere outside their own bedroom, consider an overnight program at a local or regional zoo. Kids get a kick out of watching the animals and learning about their behaviors, diets and habitats. The Toledo Zoo, in Ohio, offers Snooze at the Zoo, including a pizza dinner, breakfast and admission the next day. Children sleep near one of the exhibits or in a safari tent. The program teaches animal
16 Central Florida natural awakenings
adaptations, food chains and ecosystems and meets requirements for scout badges in a fun setting. The Irvine Nature Center, in Owings Mills, Maryland, near Baltimore, offers a rich outdoor experience. Organizers provide food, activities and camping equipment. Children fi rst attend a fi re safety class, and then help cook a meal and make s’mores. At night, participants learn how to mimic owl hoots and practice their new skills, often receiving hoots in return. Night walks sometimes include sightings of deer, bats or fl ying squirrels, while morning walks showcase groundhogs and birds. Jean Gazis, with the women’s and girls’ rights nonprofi t Legal Momentum, in Brooklyn, New York, observes, “It’s easier to camp with small, even tiny, children, than with older kids. Babies are portable.” She recalls taking her 7-week-old infant along and nostalgically comments, “Now that the kids are 11 and 14, they don’t have as much free time.” Drive-up camping in a state park that offers facilities and planned activities sets up a good time. Gazis feels that a destination four hours
CAMPING TURNS KIDS INTO
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