Here are some useful links to summertime fun activities.

Connecting Children and Nature Program Resources
Compiled By: National Environmental Education Foundation

America the Beautiful

Operation Green Plant (http://www.america-the-beautiful.org/free_seeds/index.php )
Get free seeds to start your own school garden!

Children and Nature Network

Research and Studies http://www.childrenandnature.org/downloads/C&NNHealthBenefits.pdf
Summarizes four volumes of research on the benefits of nature and the outdoors to children’s health

Nature Clubs for Families (http://www.childrenandnature.org/movement/naturalfamilies/clubs/ )
Find a nature club near you, access tools to start your own nature club

Nature Stories and Activities (http://www.childrenandnature.org/naturestory/ )
Descriptions of family activities and corresponding nature stories

Newsletter (http://www.childrenandnature.org/getinvolved/signup/ )
Sign up to receive the C&NN newsletter to help stay current on the movement to connect children and nature

First Lady’s Let’s Move! Campaign

Let’s Move Outside (http://www.letsmove.gov/letsmoveoutside.php )
Lists “Where to Go” and “What to Do” outside

KABOOM! (http://kaboom.org/ )

Find a playspace (http://playspacefinder.kaboom.org/ )

National Audubon Society

Audubon Centers (http://www.audubon.org/search-by-zip )
Find a center near you!

Nature Camps (http://education.audubon.org/nature-camps )
Audubon nature camps organized by location

Family Time (http://education.audubon.org/family-time )
Activities and tips to help families get outside

Audubon at Home (http://audubonathome.org/ )
Links to resources on how to create a healthy yard and instructions on how to create habitats for bees, bats, birds, and more

National Environmental Education Foundation

Children and Nature Initiative (http://www.neefusa.org/health/children_nature.htm)
Specially designed prescription pads, patient brochures, environmental history forms, fact sheet highlighting key scientific studies, training PowerPoint

National Public Lands Day (http://www.publiclandsday.org/ )
The nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands Americans enjoy

National Environmental Education Week (http://www.eeweek.org/ )
The nation’s largest environmental education event held each year the week before Earth Day

Nature Center Map (http://eeweek.org/nature_centers.htm )

Classroom Earth (http://www.classroomearth.org/ )
An online resource designed to help high school teachers include environmental content in their daily lesson plans

Planet Connect (http://www.planet-connect.org/ )
An online social network where high school students can learn about current environmental issues, funding opportunities, green colleges and environmental careers

Earth Gauge Kids (http://www.earthgauge.net/kids/index )
Quizzes and activities that make the connection between weather and the environment, with a new theme each month

National Park Service

Junior Rangers (http://www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.cfm )
National Park Service Junior Rangers complete a series of activities during their park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger badge or patch and Junior Ranger certificate

Park Fun Sites (http://www.nps.gov/learn/parkfun.cfm )
Lists things to do in each National Park

National Park Trust

Where’s Buddy Bison Been? Initiative (http://www.buddybison.org/ )
Attach Buddy Bison to your white coat or scrubs to inspire children and families to get outside. You can also purchase Buddy Bison from the website to use as a reward. Kids can even take the Buddy Bison Challenge to see how many park visits they can make this year!
http://buddybison.org/files/BBChallengeFinal(1).pdf

National Wildlife Federation

Get Outside (http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside.aspx )
Download Be Out There’s Outdoor Family Fun Guide
Report: Back to School: Back Outside! (http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Back%20to%20School%20full%20report.ashx )
How Outdoor Education and Outdoor School Time Create High Performance Students

Nature Bag (http://www.naturebag.com/ )

Nature Rocks

Use this site to find fun nature activities and events for kids in your area (http://www.naturerocks.org/ )

Outdoor Foundation

Outdoor Nation (http://www.outdoornation.org/ )

Programs to Help Youth Get Active (http://www.outdoorfoundation.org/programsearch.php )
Searchable database that includes national, regional and local outreach programs

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Let’s Go Outside (http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/ )
Provides resources for kids, parents, and educators including a list of summer camps for kids and a scavenger hunt for families

Junior Duck Stamp Program (http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ )
Dynamic arts curriculum that teaches wetlands and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school

Neighborhood Explorers (http://www.fws.gov/neighborhoodexplorers/ )
Online video game aimed to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment

Pollinators (http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/Index.html )
Plant a pollinator garden or build a bee box!

The Teddy Project (http://aiawebraising.net/teddyproject/index.html )

U.S. Forest Service

Forest Service Kids (http://www.fs.fed.us/kids/ )

Discover the Forest (http://www.discovertheforest.org/ )
Find forests and parks near you and access ideas for what to do outside

NatureWatch (http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/ )
Search for places to view wildlife and view descriptions of the sites, with maps and photographs

WE CAN! – National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Tips for Getting Active (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/get-active/getting-active.htm )

Make an Activity Plan (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/get-active/activity-plan.htm )