Did You Know?
- Children today spend an average of 6 hours each day in front of the computer and TV but less than 4 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
- Almost 50% of children aged 8-16 years watch 3-5 hours of television a day. These kids who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity. (Word on Health, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”: Torgan, Carol, June 2002)
- Increased study of science and nature, especially in the very young, has proved in studies extremely beneficial for cognitive functioning, reduced symptoms of attention deficit disorder, increased self-discipline and emotional well being. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)
- Nature Conservancy funded studies correlate a decline in visits to U.S. National Parks with a condition called “videophilia” which is a preference for television, video game and Internet use. (Pergams and Zaradic). The effects of videophilia are substantial and include obesity, attention disorders, lack of socialization and poor academic performance. (P&G)
- “At no time in human history have children spent less time outdoors. Attention deficit disorders, obesity and a variety of other physical and emotional ailments can be attributed to a decline in exposure to the out of doors and the natural environment.” -Craig Whipple, Director of Vermont State Parks
- “There’s a strong correlation to whether people have nature experiences as they grow up and whether, as adults, they will be concerned about policies that affect nature. -Bill Kunze, Pennsylvania state director for the Nature Conservancy (nature.org)
Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing is a local outdoor adventure 
summer camp that is doing its part to “really” connect kids with nature. They offer 1, 2, and 4 week outdoor-based trips for ages 8-17. They have just released their dates and trips for summer 2010 and are offering a 15% discount to those who register before Christmas. This is a great Christmas present for any kid and will truly aid in their character development. These 2010 dates and discount are only available here. To learn more about the different trips visit Wilderness-Adventure.com.
Roanoke Outside Blog 