By Outdoor Afro contributor Kevin Gordon
Now that the grass is greening, the birds are returning, and the smells of spring are in the air, it gets more and more exciting to prepare for camp. It’s really magic contemplating what will happen this summer. What child will experience the first-time joy of doing something she didn’t think she otherwise could do…from the “I can’t” to the “I did!”. And carrying that over to her life—whether it’s 5 days, 5 months, or 5 years forward, when another “impossible” task arises, and she has …

I think a lot about the journey that led me to form a deep connection with the outdoors, and now see clearly how fortunate I was that my family had a strong connection to land and nature, and how my parents trusted institutions like the Girl Scouts, and our local recreation center to help me connect deeply with my environment. Had I not received this kind of support and encouragement from home throughout my childhood, my interactions with nature might have been less relevant to my daily life, …

From sea to shining sea, on every plain and foothill, leaders in every community will stand together and have FUN OUTSIDE as part of the Children and Nature movement’s month long youth-led initiative!
As you know, my own family recently had a terrific time at a local Wild Zone. Now I am thrilled to help support such a wonderful opportunity for kids to enjoy the outdoors once again in my native Oakland, California:

Family Play Day in the Wild Zone
April 2, 1-4 pm
PAL Camp, Skyline Blvd, Oakland

Family Play Days are …

Our newest Outdoor Afro contributor, Justice Fergie, recalls fondly her years at camp, and what it means for her own children today.

My Girl Guide troop at sleepaway camp.
That’s me in the bottom left-hand corner.

Don’t laugh!
Ok, go ahead.

Remember sleep-away camp? Some of my best childhood memories are from spending summers making friends, singing campfire songs, and making friendship bracelets at sleep-away camp.  My Girl Guide troop (the Canadian version of Girl Scouts), was very active and one summer we had the opportunity to camp at a site owned by a Hungarian couple out in the …

In playgrounds across the country it is common to hear caregivers singing: Be nice…You have to share…Good job…
Over the weekend I was reflecting on how much my friends and I have learned to intervene and involve ourselves in our children’s play as a demonstration of what we have come to think of as good parenting — very much unlike our own parents, who seemed to never be clued in to our own childhood playtime.
In the video below, I realized I had to make an effort to bite my tongue as …

A New Form of Social Space
Last weekend my family joined dozens of others for some fun in a Wild Zone, a place where adults, children and adolescents can co-create a new form of public space that is dedicated to creativity and play in nature. Wild Zones differ from parks and play areas because they offer opportunities to interact with the environment rather than leaving it untouched.
Here is what we walked into:

David Hawkins and Karen Payne, are the co-founders of this roving system of play, and are passionate advocates of …

I was fortunate to attend with several others from around the country a White House briefing for First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative last December. In the meeting we learned more about Let’s Move accomplishments, and contributed ideas for next steps. I encourage Outdoor Afros to engage with this important movement to support and sustain the health of our children, and the generations to follow.
From the Let’s Move website:
Physical activity is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. In combination with healthy eating, it can help prevent a range …

This week, I had the honor of presenting at the American Camp Association (ACA) the topic: Recognizing and Cultivating Diversity in Family Camp in beautiful San Diego, California at their annual conference.
ACA is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. ACA and Outdoor Afro have recently formed an educational partnership to help camps connect to the diverse Outdoor Afro community; and also help Outdoor Afro community members become more aware of …

Physical and emotional benefits are emphasized
How to like insects. Honeybees. Trout in the classroom. These were just some of the topics addressed Saturday morning at a conference designed to introduce youngsters to the natural world — and to the physical and emotional benefits that a strong connection with nature brings.
Parents and children gathered at the Baltimore Montessori Public Charter School, where they listened to lectures and attended workshops as part of the second annual Greater Baltimore Children and Nature Conference, which was sponsored by several local organizations.
“Through these …

What are the consequences of a childhood removed from nature?
One generation from now most people in the U.S. will have spent more time in the virtual world than in nature.
I had the good fortune of screening the eye opening PLAY AGAIN locally with my own kids, and meet the passionate filmmaker Meg Merrill. Her film makes a case, against a backdrop of contemporary teen life, about how more time in front of screens than in natural spaces bodes troubling outcomes individually and for our society. Here is more:
Kristin and Paige …