Saturday May 21, 2016 is Kids To Parks Day, an annual event hosted by the National Park Trust in partnership with the National Park Service, National Parks Conservational Association, and numerous local and regional organizations around the country.
The event encourages children and families to get outdoors and play in their local parks, whether it be an iconic national park or a local neighborhood park.
While the event’s organizers hope that every child is able to participate, it’s under-served children that the event truly hopes to inspire to generate an interest in the outdoors and the future of our parks.
In this, the Centennial year of the National Park Service, visitation is at an all time high, but it’s no secret that outdoor organizations are finding it challenging to reach and impact younger generations. With youth spending more and more time indoors connected to technology, only about 10% of youth polled by The Nature Conservancy are spending time outdoors each day.
Of the youth polled by The Nature Conservancy, 62% noted a lack of transportation to natural areas, and 61% noted a lack of natural areas near their homes. This common theme is exactly what the National Park Trust and National Park Service are looking to overcome with events like Kids To Parks Day as they work to not only connect with America’s youth, but also to encourage their families to take time to visit these natural areas as a family.
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Chimani‘s suite of free national park apps are a great way to connect with the outdoors. By downloading the apps to your mobile device, you and your family can plan your trip, navigate through the parks, and find park facilities with ease, and without the need for a cellular connection.
Get started today by downloading our free apps in the App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore!
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