About the Leave No Child Inside Initiative
Kids today build internet sites instead of constructing forts in the woods. Music piped into earphones has replaced listening for the sounds of bird calls and frog croaks. Cell phones and emails are more efficient than two cups on a string or flashlight signals. Childhood has changed.
Chicago Wilderness -- a regional alliance of organizations working together to restore local nature and improve the quality of life for all who live here -- launched the Leave No Child Inside initiative in 2007 with the goals to get more children outside and increase the amount and quality of time that they spend there.
Research has demonstrated that outdoor play helps children manage stress and become resilient. Natural spaces stimulate children's limitless imaginations and foster creativity. Children who connect with nature may be more inventive and better problem-solvers due to the hands-on learning that the outdoors provide.
Young people who grow up spending time in nature are also more likely to be strong advocates for the environment when they reach adulthood. This is important to ensure that the land, water and wildlife legacy we have worked to conserve continues to benefit future generations.
Subscribe to the monthly Leave No Child Inside e-newsletter to stay informed about the latest programs, research, news, and grant opportunities related to the initiative. To subscribe, click on the link at the bottom of our pages or send your name and email address to Emilian Geczi, Leave No Child Inside Coordinator, at .
You can also bookmark or subscribe to the initiative's Twitter page to follow our daily news updates, or contact Emilian at 847-835-6834 with any questions or to order any materials.
