More Trees Please

Outdoor professionals have known for a long time, that spending time outside is beneficial to kids in many ways. For years, research has provided compelling evidence of the need for today’s kids to spend more time outdoors.

Outdoor professionals, as well as past campers, past staff members, or anyone who has been involved in the camping industry can attest to the value of the outdoors. A recent study helped to show this long-known fact to the rest of society. The study looked at the NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, or, in layman's terms, a measurement of vegetation density. The study measured NDVI around 905 elementary schools in Massachusetts. The results showed significantly higher test scores in both math and English in areas with higher density of trees.

"It shouldn’t be surprising anymore that green spaces make us happier, healthier, and just generally better, but every time a hard finding on the topic pops up it seems incredible once again. Just being near nature is enough to bump up kids’ grades—though we’ll need more data to back this up, it probably can’t hurt to head out and look at some trees any chance you and your kids can get." - Levitan

As the next generation continues their education, one thing is clear: there is a growing need for outdoor education. Whether it is camping out under the stars, identifying trees, or learning about the water cycle, camps offer unique opportunity to teach kids about nature - in nature. As the research regarding the benefits of time spent outdoors becomes clearer (and that today’s kids are losing touch with nature), more and more schools are looking to camps for outdoor education opportunities.

Many camps and organizations are listening and responding to these schools' calls for programs. Take the current “Camp Moves Me” movement sponsored by the American Camp Association for example. It is, according to the ACA’s website, the “first ever, nationwide, fundraising effort aimed at celebrating the spirit of camp while raising dollars to send more children to ACA-accredited camps across the country.”

Does your camp have an outdoor education program? What could your camp offer to nearby schools or after school programs. Perhaps it is a simple as allowing schools to use camp property for an outdoor lab field trip, or perhaps as structured as a weeklong outdoor education experience. Whatever it is, camps are in a unique position to continue to serve youth beyond the summer months.

To learn more about starting your own Outdoor Education Program, check out this guide from The Oregon Community Foundation here.



Levitan, Dave. "Green Space Makes for Better Students." Conservation RSS. Conservation Magazine, 14 Oct. 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Go Jump In The Lake

For many camps, the age-old question for water programming has always been a question between lakes and pools… In 1957, the answer seemed clear:

“A good natural waterfront area is superior to any man-made substitute, so that it is worthwhile to spend time searching for one in the areas where they exist.” - Julian Salomon, Camp Site Development, 1957

In the early years of camping, lakes were considered essential. With time, the unimproved waterfront area gave way to carefully designed waterfronts, with docks and designated swimming areas. Has this shift been beneficial? According to the American Red Cross, 54% of Americans can’t swim well enough to save their own lives. Paradoxically, having a lake at camp becomes a huge liability and safety concern. I say paradoxically, because what better place to be comfortable in water and to learn how to swim than surrounded by your summer camp pals?

Faced with the question of how to continue instilling a connection to nature in their campers, many camps are attempting to blend the natural environment with the built environment. Many camps across the country simply have both a pool and a lake that they use for different activities. However, Herzog & de Meuron’s Ecological Swimming Pool stands as an elegant and innovative solution. Designed for a small city in Switzerland, the new pool uses filtering plants to clean the water. In fact, the pool looks much more like a small pond. The Swiss firm writes:

“the changed perspectives brought by the intervening years prompted the idea of abandoning the conventional pool concept, with its mechanical and chemical water treatment systems, in favor of a pool closer to a natural condition with biological filtration.”

There are no chemicals needed for this pool. Gravel, sand, soil, and vegetation effectively model the natural terrestrial water purification process. The irregular edge creates a variety of swimming conditions including: a gradual entry beach, staircases, and dock for jumping. “naturbad riehen,” or “natural swimming pool,"was completed in June 2014.

photo by helen schneider, courtesy of naturbad riehen

Perhaps, this is the future of camp design… a beautiful marriage of the built and the natural environment; Which, is in fact, what great camp design strives to create.

Conservation What?... Conservation Easements and Summer Camps.

According to the American Camp Association, 1 in 5 camps have conservation easements in place. What is a conservation easement, you ask? A conservation easement is a way for camps to protect their property from unwanted future development. For many camps, their property was purchased nearly 100 years ago for a fraction of the value of the land today. This can pose a big problem for camps, as current land values can mean large property and estate taxes. Consequently, camp owners face unique challenges arising from the ownership of significant parcels of land.

One solution to this dilemma is a conservation easement. With a conservation easement, the property owner sells the development rights to a land conservancy. Crafted to suit the particular camp’s situation, this creates opportunities for camp owners. Here are several benefits of selling development rights.

Income Tax Savings: A for-profit camp can enjoy significant federal and state income tax savings from donating a conservation easement on portions of the camp property.

Transition and Estate Planning: Camp owners planning for the transition of the camp to their family’s next generation or planning for their estates can reduce the taxes involved in such transitions by incorporating a conservation easement.

Acquisition: conservation easements can be creatively implemented to facilitate the purchase of a camp property.

Disposition: If the sale of a camp for another use is required, planning for a conservation easement, along with a creative development concept can be an effective marketing tool which can help cultivate alumnae as potential buyers for personal or collective use.

Raise Capital: In some instances, federal, state or local money may be available to purchase conservation easements from camp owners.

Camp Protection: A conservation easement will stand to protect the environment in case camp property is ever sold.

Green River Preserve, near our offices in Brevard, NC, has over 2,600 acres in conservation easement standing. For Green River Preserve, their conservation easement greatly reduced their property and estate taxes, and they received cash from the State of North Carolina through its Clean Water Management Trust Fund and other funding sources due of the camp’s ecological value. And, best of all -- campers can continue to be campers, as if nothing has changed, according to Sandy Schenck, the founder of Green River Preserve.

What can a Conservation Easement do for your camp? Learn more from? The Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy here! (there are also similar conservancy groups in each state). Camps should consult with their legal and accounting teams before pursuing any conservation easements.

Reevaluation

"Camp Design: Master Planning Basics" Series

As you’ve worked through this series on the basics of master planning, you’ve undoubtedly seen how the presence of a master plan can positively impact your camp’s future.  As Greg Copeland describes in his book “Camp Design: Master Planning Basics”:

A well-crafted master plan is the most effective management tool for the orderly development of a camp site.  The plan integrates the culture of the organization and its programs, activities and operational criteria with the capabilities and limitations of the site.  It must also balance the desires of the organization with the limits imposed by government regulations while balancing dreams with the practical considerations of management, maintenance, and cost estimates.

That being said, while the plan strongly guides the camp’s future it must also be adaptable to the camp’s inevitable evolution.  The final step in the master plan process, the reevaluation, closes the loop on the planning process.  Annually reviewing and updating the master plan ensures that it always represents the camp’s current thinking, which in turn saves money and maintains the appropriate visionary course.

Here are a few questions to ask when reevaluating your camp’s master plan:

• Do we need to increase or decrease camper capacity?
• Do we want to explore new program modes or year-round operation?
• Are there any new regulations that could impact our planning?
• Have there been unanticipated physical changes to the site?
• Have construction costs increased or decreased in the last year, and how will they impact the next phase of development?
• Are we ready for a new capital campaign?
• Do we need to shift our priorities for the next phase of development?

The reevaluation can be as simple as a one-to-two day work session with staff, volunteers, and the planning team, and it will ensure the continued bright future of your camp.

This concludes our series on master planning basics.  If you have any further questions regarding master planning or even questions specific to your camp, please don’t hesitate to contact Greg Copeland at Domokur Architects – 330.666.7878 or gcopeland@domokur.com.  And be sure to subscribe (on the right) to receive further updates on all kinds of camp-related topics! 

Note: This series is based on Greg Copeland’s book “Camp Design: Master Planning Basics”, which is available for purchase here.  Greg leads Domokur Architects’ Planning and Landscape Architecture team with over 40 years of professional and planning experience.

Implementation

"Camp Design: Master Planning Basics" Series

Implementation is the process of executing the plan.  It brings dreams to reality: from ideas on paper to tangible structures.  While this is perhaps the most exciting phase of a Master Plan, it is also the most complex, time-consuming, and expensive.  Typically implementation begins with two documents that we mentioned in our previous post: the Phasing Plan and the Opinion of Probable Construction Cost (OPCC). 

Often developed as part of the Master Plan, the Phasing Plan outlines a logical order of events that will be necessary to bring the camp improvements to fruition.  Dependent upon operational necessities, construction time frame, and funding capabilities, the Phasing Plan will be different for each project.  For example camps often do not want to engage in construction during the summer and so construction in that case may stretch over several years.  The Phasing Plan document will highlight the buildings and costs for each phase, and it can take the form of a simple spreadsheet, a written narrative, or a graphic plan.

Phasing Plan, Camp Herzl, Webster WI

The Opinion of Probable Construction Cost seeks to establish an overall perspective of construction costs based on average square foot costs.  The OPCC document is a natural companion to the Phasing Plan and usually takes the form of a digital spreadsheet.  It includes the following categories of costs:

• Hard costs: those costs directly related to construction.  Includes structures, landscaping, furnishings, and more.
• Soft costs: those costs related to the project as a whole.  Includes professional fees, permit fees, insurance and legal expenses, and more.
• Contingency costs: a built-in percentage to accommodate for unforeseen changes.  Essential to include to keep a project moving forward despite unexpected events.
• Capital campaign costs: those costs associated with raising funds for the project.  Includes staff and volunteer time, development consultants, and operational campaign expenses.

Sample Opinion Of Probable Construction Cost Document

  

In addition to a preliminary Phasing Plan and OPCC there are often other prerequisites that need to be in place before building can commence.  These prerequisites may include:

·         Reorganizing the camp’s board to better accomplish fund development

·         Conducting an initial capital campaign feasibility study

·         Preparing fund development materials, such as architectural concepts, perspective sketches, or models

·         Obtaining site plan approval by the necessary county or local agencies

·         Soliciting proposals from architects and engineers

·         Hiring a construction manager

·         Adding new staff members

·         Creating new pilot programs

Despite these prerequisites it’s likely that several small activities can begin right away in the start-up phase of implementation.  The Master Plan will undoubtedly identify many large and small improvements to the camp, and it’s worth defining which of those improvements can be undertaken within the camp’s current operating budget.  These small projects can be as simple as renovating a bathroom or tearing down an eyesore building.  Beginning these small improvements early on will help to ensure momentum as it allows campers and parents to see quick results.  It also reinforces the camp’s willingness to keep campers as their primary focus, which maintains morale. 

For example Jerry Courtney, who has been a director of three different YMCA camps, always ensures that his buildings are given a fresh coat of paint each year.  No building lags behind.  Fresh paint is a simple and cost-effective way to breathe life into old buildings – a small project that makes a big difference.

With the steady completion of small projects occurring alongside background planning activities, you will soon be able to see tangible improvements to your camp that build toward the bigger picture.  Our final entry in this Master Planning Basics series will address the essential step that comes after construction is complete: the reevaluation.

Note: This series is based on Greg Copeland’s book “Camp Design: Master Planning Basics”, which is available for purchase here.  Greg leads Domokur Architects’ Planning and Landscape Architecture team with over 40 years of professional and planning experience.

Master Site Plan

"Camp Design: Master Planning Basics" Series

“A master plan interprets, through maps, drawings, and written descriptions, a way to use and develop land and physical facilities in relation to each other.  It relates the needs of men, women, and children to land and facilities.  It is never static.  It should be restudied at each new stage of development, and reviewed when redevelopment is considered.” – Julian H. Salomon

With a thorough understanding of your camp’s existing resources and the programming goals you want to accomplish, you can begin to directly delve into the master plan itself.  As explained in previous posts in this series, up until this point, most of the research and exploration can be completed by camp staff or volunteers.  But now, this juncture is the time to involve a professional planning consultant.

A master plan is composed of a series of interrelated plans.  At minimum, the complete master plan will include the following:

1. Proposed Facilities Schedule

This document is a narrative that outlines the facilities schedule developed during the baseline evaluation.  It defines direction for which buildings to keep, renovate, construct, or phase out.

2. Existing Conditions Plan

Created primarily during the baseline evaluation, this document is used as a reference throughout the planning process to compare against proposed changes.

3. Land Use Plan

The land use plan segments the property into a series of zones or areas which designate the intended use for each acre of the site.  Common types of zones denoted on a land use plan are: development area, managed woodlands, managed open fields, preservation lands, agricultural lands, and surface water or wetlands.  This investigation helps to define exactly how much land is available for development.

4. Site Plan Concepts

Conceptual plans are big-picture, abstract representations of the proposed uses for the developed site.  Areas of the site, such as staff housing, program buildings, or waterfront access, are denoted using simple shapes and colors.  The intentional lack of detail at this stage enables several alternatives to be quickly developed and considered.

The most interactive and collaborative way to approach concept plans is to host a day-long design charrette.  A charrette is a work session that brings the planning consultants and camp planning teams together, uniting them with tracing paper, markers, and site plans.  Charrettes enable input and feedback while building a strong relationship between all team members, and they typically result in a number of creative alternatives for the camp.  The final concept plan will summarize the best ideas into one comprehensive map.

Master Plan Concepts, with Final Concept Plan at Right
Flying Horse Farms Camp, Mount Gilead OH

5. Preliminary Master Plan

Once the concept plan is approved, the planning consultants will add detail to create a preliminary master plan.  Specific building sizes and shapes will be defined, as well as the locations of roads and outdoor features.  This document serves as a more defined working document to use moving forward.

6. Field Investigation

This critical step involves the design team returning to the site to verify all measurements and exact locations.  It is helpful if the camp planning team accompanies the design team on this visit, as new discussions and clarifications may be required.

7. Final Master Plan

The end product combines the input from the charrette and revisions from the site visit into a full-color document in digital format, able to be printed at any size or scale.  For more examples of master plans developed by Domokur Architects, explore our photo gallery.

Final Master Plan
Flying Horse Farms Camp, Mount Gilead OH

8. Opinion of Probable Construction Costs

Usually developed in detailed spreadsheet form, the opinion of probable construction costs is an estimate that seeks to establish a perspective for the overall construction costs associated with the master plan.  It addresses both hard costs (related directly to construction, such as materials and labor) and soft costs (such as professional fees and permits).  Typically hard costs account for about 80 percent of the total development cost, while soft costs account for about 20 percent.

9. Phasing Plan

This companion to the opinion of probable construction costs begins to move the master plan into implementation.  It visually maps out the various proposed phases of construction, color-coding areas for demolition, renovation, or construction across a given time period.

Equipped with program goals, a baseline evaluation, and a vision for your camp’s future expressed tangibly in a master plan, you can move on to the most exciting step: implementation.

Note: This series is based on Greg Copeland’s book “Camp Design: Master Planning Basics”, which is available for purchase here.  Greg leads Domokur Architects’ Planning and Landscape Architecture team with over 40 years of professional and planning experience.

Sustainable Site Planning

The land surrounding your camp is equally as important to make sustainable as your built structures. Here is a brief rundown of how you can strive to make your site healthier for your guests and for the environment.

Building Placement:

-Orient Buildings to take advantage of solar, natural light, ventilation and shading

-Reduce site disturbance: build in already disturbed areas

-Design with topography

-Maintain natural flow of water on site

-Reduce soil erosion

Maintain/Improve Water Quality:

-Manage Stormwater

-Utilize Low Impact Design Practices (LID)- Rain Gardens, Bioswales and Permeable Pavement

-Windmills for aeration- This system drives air into two aerators at the bottom of the pond to improve the level of oxygen quality of the water

Water Conservation:

Capture and re-use as much water as possible by utilizing using cisterns, rain barrels, etc.

Vegetation:

-Use for shading and wind blocks

-Utilize green roofs for rainwater absorption

-Utilize native and low maintenance plants

-Removal of invasive species using a controlled burn for habitat restoration

-Removal of invasive species along lake edge

-Consider reducing lawn areas with native plantings In areas where appropriate- mow buffers along pathways and road edges only

Lighting:

Use full cut-off light fixtures to reduce light pollution

Land Conservation:

Conservation Easements

    -Income Tax Savings

    -Transition & Estate Planning

    -Acquisition

    -Raise Capital

    -Disposition

"Benching" Creativity

Keeping an open mind when designing even the most basic camp necessities, like a bench, can make a big difference.  "A spot along a path where two campers become best friends," as quoted from Domokur's own Greg Copeland, makes a bench more than just a place to sit.  Rescue a fallen tree, repurpose some old stones or get innovative with a seating style . . . think outside the box.  

The photo above shows a bench at YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake and the one to the right is located nearby at Grant Grove in the Sequoia National Forest.  The photo below shows two of our employees taking a break on two “stargazing benches” while working at Camp Sequoia Lake. With ideas and designs like these the seating is not only functional but also becomes a conversation piece.  Think of what will work best for your camp: a simple slab bench, a bench without a back, something weather resistant or one with all-natural materials found on-site.  

There are millions of options and there isn't a right answer.  Camps should never feel like they are stuck with something conventional - construct whatever works best for your camp and celebrate it!

Have some interesting ideas or photos of benches you've come across?  Let us know so we can share the inspiration!

Permaculture and Organic Farming at Camp

Currently, there is an expanding movement in our country to bring the farm back home by starting gardens in our own backyards. This idea is called Permaculture, which is a type of agriculture system or human settlement, in which you take all of the natural systems in a given location and base that system or settlement off of the relationships seen in the surrounding ecology. This is currently most well known in agricultural systems. In farming, for example, by keeping water on site, using the fallen organic materials from trees or even grass clippings, you can create an organic garden that will produce healthy food which can save you money and help motivate you to get outside and learn about the environment.

You may be wondering to yourself why things like Permaculture or sustainability are gaining popularity these days. Simply put, it is because many people realize the damage that has been done to the environment over the past few decades and they want to protect the environment for themselves and for future generations. While things like riding your bike, recycling, using wind or solar energy as power sources, driving electric cars and installing rain barrels are a great way to do this on a large scale; Permaculture does this on a smaller, more personal scale. There are some people that are able to produce almost all of their own food without chemicals or pesticides (a process also known as organic farming) right in their own yard. In fact, they grow so much that sometimes they even have leftovers that they sell in order to make extra money! By doing this type of small scale organic farming, there are less toxins being spread around, and in turn we are able to take better care of the soil so that we do not exhaust it of nutrients on large tracts of land. By practicing organic farming we even cut down on the use of fossil fuel from transporting food.

While we have been talking about this more in a residential or even community level, this is a perfect project for a camp to implement. Although a camp may not be able to produce all of their own food, it can definitely grow enough to support a majority of its meals.

At a summer camp I worked at last summer, we were able to experiment with this a little bit. Although it was not designed around the idea of Permaculture, we planted an organic vegetable garden for use with our daily salad bar. We included campers in all aspects of growing the food, from planting, watering, weeding and harvesting. They were all very excited to actually eat food that they helped grow.

We had planted our crops a little a late and unfortunately most of them were not ready in time for some of the later summer sessions, so remember timing is crucial. We also did not take advantage of certain techniques to harvest water or keep weeds away. Luckily, gardening and farming are both a learning experience where mistakes can be helpful in the perfecting development of your own garden or the one at your camp.

Another idea to consider is the types of crops to plant. While we stuck to various types of peppers, tomatoes, corn, potatoes and onions, your camp can even venture into fruits and nuts as well. Trying things like this not only can expand the variety but it can also teach campers about more than just vegetables and how fruit and nut shrubs and trees can be used for a variety of uses other than just food.

While much of the information out there on Permaculture or Urban Farming are geared toward urban or residential projects, most all of the techniques are adaptable to practically any setting that you may find yourself or your camp. For more information on this topic, check out these websites: http://www.permacultureproject.com/; http://www.permacultureprinciples.com/; and http://www.permaculture.org/

Blog post written by Andrew Schneider

Wayfinding at Camp

Without the correct signage, arriving at camp for the first time can be a less than pleasant experience. Signage at camp can have a great impact on a visitor’s initial experience of the camp. While some camps are centrally focused on a few acres, others may be spread out over hundreds of acres and wayfinding is necessary to direct campers, staff and visitors into the right areas. Wayfinding incorporates all of the ways in which people familiarize themselves with a particular area and helps them to navigate around the camp. Items that can be used as wayfinding elements could be signage, sculptures, works of art and water elements. These items act as visual cues for someone that is unfamiliar with the layout of a specific place.

Signage can be successful in both interior and exterior situations. Exterior signs may point in the direction of a particular building or program activity; while interior signs may direct someone to the restroom or building exit.

Wayfinding should be designed to address the appropriate audience. For camps, the audience that will rely on signage the most is its first time visitors. The entrance sign will be the first sign that a visitor will associate with your camp; make sure it is remarkable!

Simple words such as “pool” or “archery” on a directional sign are enough to tell a visitor where the building or activity is located. This concept can also be used for living space and operational facility locations.

A color coded system or symbol can also help with visual recognition. Similar to the brown public services signs with white lettering located along most highways, these visually cue people to think to park and visit a historic site, forest or campground. Developing a standardized look to signage at your camp can visually aid someone understand what to look for if they should become lost.

Other things to consider when developing your standardized signage are the size, type face, color and overall look that will work well with your surroundings. A camp located on a waterfront might incorporate signs on boat paddles or life preservers. Whereas a camp located in the forest may have signs on a slice of a tree trunk or signs that are shaped like evergreens.

Appropriate signage at your camp will allow for visitors to successfully navigate the site with little or no help from a guide or a site plan. It will also allow the visitor to feel comfortable within their surroundings. A sign post located a the entrance or the center of camp with several arrows pointing in different directions is also a successful way of setting visitors on the right path to a space before a more detailed sign gives the exact location.

Signage does not have to break the budget. Signs can be hand-made by a staff member to look similar and keep with the rustic nature of the camp. If your budget allows, a consultant who specializes in shaping and how humans interact with public environments can be brought in.

The best way to find out how well your camp is doing with your wayfinding and signage is to allow a first time visitor to walk around and give you feedback and advice. The feedback from first time visitors will be invaluable to your camp as you try to enhance the experiences of every person that enters your camp.

Establishing a Tree Replanting Program at Camp: Ideas and Advantages

Gather up the troops, let’s get everyone involved! Everyone can help such as: alumni, parents, campers, staff and counselors. While we understand a detailed landscape at camp is not a top priority, the trees play an important role. Blocking wind, providing shade and obstructing noise are just a few ways that trees can be utilized at camp. Developing a planting plan and coming up with inventive ways to motivate everyone to get involved can be challenging. Your tree replanting program could be exciting and something everyone looks forward to if you think of creative ways to keep everyone interested.

The first step is to develop a plan. List the areas that shade is needed, or you could think of areas where the views from camp are unpleasant. You should also focus on areas that surround villages where campers can gather to converse or play; these are the areas that the plantings should occur.  

Once a plan has been established, it is time to embrace a program at camp that teaches campers the importance of trees. Programs such as this can teach campers how to determine the age of a tree, what products are made from trees or how to identify a tree by its leaf. At the end of the program each year a different “planting event” can take place. One year, each camper can plant their own tree. By planting a tree, the camper can put their “stamp” on the camp. The next year, each village can plant a single tree symbolizing their memories of their time at camp together. In the years following, trees can be planted in remembrance or in dedication to someone. With a program like this initiated, participants are able to reflect on their camping experience as well as the meaning that individual tree has to them. Participants can then also reflect on the memories they have made since the tree has been planted when coming back to camp each year.  

The Arbor Day Foundation (www.arborday.org/index.cfm) has several programs that educate people about the impact that planting trees each year can have on the environment. For just $15, you can receive your membership to the foundation for an entire year along with 10 free trees (for $10 a 6-month membership and 10 free trees). Now imagine if every camper (or family) joined this program and brought a couple of the trees to camp to plant each year. At first, we would encourage purchasing trees or asking for donations of larger trees to kick-off your program. In the years following, consider the planting options outlined in this blog. Think of the endless possibilities and how beautiful your camp will be for years to come! 

The photo above shows Camp Albemarle in North Carolina. Due to a strong wind storm many trees were destroyed at the camp’s entrance opening up views from the main highway as well as letting in an abundance of noise as traffic moves by at a high rate of speed.

This next photo shows how much open space is actually at camp. While this isn’t a bad thing, the campers are at a loss for a place to get out of the sun unless a structure near by can provide them a shelter. 

In the master plan to the left, all of the light green single colored trees shown on the plan are areas that our Master Plan called for tree planting’s that could act as noise barriers or wind barriers as well as provide shade to camp.

Natural Playgrounds

Today many children lack the type of play that incorporates the outdoor environment. With busy schedules and family obligations few children get the opportunity to go outside and explore the natural world. Natural playgrounds integrate sand, water, dirt, living plants and wood into play centers for children. These natural playgrounds look very different than the typical conventional playground that is constructed out of steel tubing and plastic. By integrating more from the natural environment into the playground, children will have the feeling of freedom, exploration and experience. 

By incorporating a natural playground behind a school, at a nearby park or at a summer camp provides an area where children can play with natural elements. Natural playgrounds allow children to self-direct their playtime and create their own activities. From discovering a bug under a rock, walking through a huge tree trunk to sculpting mounds out of sand, the possibilities are endless.   

In 2007, the No Child Left Inside® (NCLI) Coalition was formed to advise Congress and the public about the need for our schools to dedicate more resources and attention to environmental education. While basic school subjects such as math, science and history are all important to children, just learning about them while sitting in front of a computer hinders them. Children that sit at computers and learn about nature but never spend time outside will have a sense of disconnect with the environment and be less enthusiastic about protecting it.

With the addition of natural playgrounds to camp sites, children will have another area to investigate the environment. By including sand pits, working gardens, arbor swings, tree houses and outdoor seating, the children will spend more time outside learning about their surroundings.

Here is a list of activities I enjoyed as a child:
Leaf Rubbings
Collecting Rocks
Jumping in Puddles
Smelling Wildflowers
Spotting objects in the Clouds

Do you have any examples of your own?

There are many websites on-line that encourage this type of play and provide ideas for outdoor activities. To find out more about what you can do to engage your children or understand changes that would be made in your child’s education if Congress adopts the NCLI proposals, visit: http://www.nclicoalition.org/