Mar 28
Where Nature Meets Story – for Parents and Educators
Research shows that spending time in nature makes kids happier, healthier and smarter. Reading is probably the single most important skill for achievement in school and success in life.  So, why not combine the two? The Children & Nature Network’s Where Nature Meets Story is a place for parents and educators to find fun, outdoor activities for kids with a coordinated recommended reading list for toddlers to young adults. Explore a wide range of activity themes, including “A Fort of One’s Own:  Making Hide-outs” and “Of Fairies, Gnomes and Hobbits:  Imagined Worlds in Nature”.   Check it out and start your…
Mar 28
Spring is Here! Resources for Local Outdoor Adventure
28 Mar, 2013. 0 Comments. Family Activities, News. Posted By: lncigc
Spring is here and that means families will be on the look-out for fun things to do in Greater Cincinnati.  For activities at area parks, nature centers and other outdoor venues, including your own home, check out these on-line resources: Green Umbrella:  A calendar of regional programs and events from hiking to green energy symposiums.  Stay tuned for the introduction of Green Umbrella’s special outdoor activity site, MeetMeOutdoors.com, coming soon! Grow Outside Guide to Outdoor Play:  Includes activities to do at home or in your neighborhood, like how to create a Child Friendly Backyard and Fun for All Seasons ideas…
Nov 19
Safe Routes to School Project Connects Kids to Nature
19 Nov, 2012. 0 Comments. K-12 Education, News. Posted By: lncigc
  Programs that get kids moving safely through neighborhoods are integral to healthy communities and assist in connecting kids to nearby nature.  Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a national program designed to assess conditions and facilitate in improving them so students are able to safely walk and bike to school.  The program engages community partners in the process.  Here in Cincinnati, we are fortunate that Cincinnati Public Schools has a district-wide SRTS initiative which not only gets kids moving, but also reduces transportation costs and improves neighborhoods…
Nov 19
International Recognition of Children’s Right to Connect with Nature
19 Nov, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
Since the publication of Last Child in the Woods in 2005, countries around the world have acknowledged that children are increasingly disconnected from nature.  In September of this year, more than 10,000 people representing the governments of 150 nations and more than 1,000 non-governmental organizations met in Jeju, South Korea for the World Congress of the International Union for the Conservancy of Nature (IUCN).  Attendees voted unanimously to adopt a Resolution that children have a human right to experience the natural world.  Read more…
Sep 17
No Platitudes!
17 Sep, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
 September 22-23 Over 120 Free Outdoor Activities Click on logo for details One year after founding  the Children & Nature Network, Richard Louv challenged Grassroots Leaders with this request:  “No platitudes – we need action!”.  We are proud that Leave No Child Inside – Greater Cincinnati responded to that call, as evidenced by the wide range of activities summarized in our Annual Reports.  Now we would like to challenge you to take action to reconnect Greater Cincinnati’s children with nature! One thing we have learned in the course of our work is that in order to re-introduce nature into the…
Sep 17
Thanks to our community’s “Cheerleaders” for a happier, healthier lifestyle
17 Sep, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
Throughout our community, organizations like Leave No Child Inside, Green Umbrella, We Thrive!, Go Vibrant! and Closing the Health Gap are working in a variety of ways to engage Cincinnatians in a healthy and FUN lifestyle.  A growing number of you are responding to the call, literally moving our community toward better health.   Nowhere was this more evident than at June’s Paddlefest event, where the Kid’s Outdoor Adventure Expo engaged 5,000 children in outdoor activities, thousands of Greater Cincinnatians paddled on the Ohio River and more joined the fun by cycling, walking and running…
Jun 22
Grab the kids and check out Mill Creek Greenway Trail!
22 Jun, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
Mill Creek Greenway Trail Mill Creek Restoration Project just dedicated the Mill Creek Greenway Trail, a 1.5 mile trail located on Spring Grove Avenue with the trailhead next to the Old Timber Inn.   The creation of this trail was a learning experience for many area students who helped in its construction.  It includes gardens, public art and exercise stations.  It’s especially nice to see new trails happening on the west side of town.  The dedication on June 19 triggered conversation about extending the trail even further – we’ll look forward to seeing that happen!   Learn more about the Mill Creek Restoration…
Jun 22
Grab the kids and check out Armleder Park Trail Connection!
22 Jun, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
Armleder Park Trail Connection This trail opened with a dedication ceremony on June 14 and connects the Otto Armleder Park (which includes a great dog park, by the way), with the Lunken airport bike trail.  The connection gives you 8 miles of trail to walk or bike – great for the whole family.  An interesting piece of information – the Armleder Park was determined to have more birds than any other park in our area, so take the binoculars when you go and ask the kids how many species they can spot.  Learn more about the new trail here.
May 14
Tangible Progress in Reconnecting Children with Nature
14 May, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
With the release of the 2011 Grassroots Leadership Survey, the Children & Nature Network provides us with evidence that our work and that of grassroots initiatives across the country is having an impact.  Results from the survey were analyzed and reported by an independent evaluator as a follow-up to a 2009 baseline survey designed to measure changes in children and nature activities.  Among the findings: The total number of participants reached in 2011 by activities of the 72 grassroots initiatives responding was between 2.7 and 4.25 million.  This is a significant increase over 2009, when the number was between 900,000…
Apr 7
Diversity in Nature
7 Apr, 2012. 0 Comments. News. Posted By: lncigc
It’s long been known that biodiversity is essential to the health of our environment.   The Leave No Child Inside movement is also working toward the health of communities by increasing the diversity of the people who experience nature in their daily lives.  Locally, we have focused on enabling children of all races and ethnicities to experience nature on a daily basis in their own neighborhoods by encouraging and facilitating school gardens and natural playscapes.  In the coming year, we will expand our local focus on diversity in tandem with the Children & Nature Network, which is taking a leadership role…