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About The Children in Nature/No Child Left Inside® Initiative
Many parents have memories of growing up when the outdoors was not a place to fear but embrace from sunrise to sunset. Every season brought a new adventure. Childhood memories were filled with play, imagination, and exploration. Without knowing, families were building an understanding, appreciation and connection with the natural world.
Today, many Delaware children do not enjoy the same outdoor experiences as their parents and grandparents. Evidence now shows that children 8 to 18 average 6.5 hours per day with electronic media and just minutes a day engaged in unstructured outdoor activities. As children lose touch with the land, water and wildlife, they also lose opportunities to re-establish critical connections. It is essential to provide accessible, safe and enjoyable outdoor opportunities to educate and inform future generations about the state’s resources and build an appreciation of those resources.[...More]