Get Wild at Your Local Parks this July!

There is no question that the current generation of children do not spend enough time outside. This is something I struggle with myself. I think that what many of us fail to realize is that regardless if we live in a rural area like I do or in a major city, there are many local parks available in almost every community. July is National Park & Recreation Month and there is no better time to "Get Wild" and get outside with your family then now.

"The world of parks and recreation reaches more than 300 million people in this country. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is dedicated to advancing parks, recreation, and environmental conservation efforts that enhance the quality of life for all people."

Our favorite park to go to is a town park that is on the lake. It offers a nice beach area for swimming and playing and during the summer, you will find me there Monday through Thursday, every week, with my four boys. This is also the second year in a row that my boys are taking swimming lessons there and it has been great for them. Now in this heat, believe me there is nothing more that I would like to do then stay inside in the cool air conditioning. But I know that my kids (and myself) need to get out and enjoy nature.

 

Kids these days are spending way more time inside in front of electronics then they do outside playing. In fact, on average, kids are only spending 7 minutes outside. It is not hard to see the connection of this inactivity to the alarming child obesity rate. According to the National Recreations & Park Association, Children that have easy access to a playground (less than 2/3 of a mile from their home) are five times more likely to have a healthy weight. In addition to health benefits, parks help boost the economy and contribute to the value of surrounding residential properties, as well as helping make the local community a safer place to raise a family.

This July, the National Recreation & Park Association wants you to get outside to your local parks and Get Wild! I took the Get Wild Pledge, as you can see by my proudly displayed banner above, and you should too! Once you make the pledge, you can download the official toolkit, which includes various graphics and a customizable calendar, and check out the calander of local events to see what is happening in your area.

There is also a cool Get Wild Geocaching Contest they are running. Go on a geocaching treasure hunt with your family and snap some photos of you with the cache you find. Then upload the photo to the National Recreation & Park Association Facebook page for a chance to win one of 5 Magellan GC eXplorist GPS Devices!

Southford Fall State Park, Southbury, Connecticut
Where my husband and I had one of our first dates.

So go ahead and take the pledge and then go Get Wild at your local parks this summer!


I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of National Recreation and Park Association and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.