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June has been declared "Leave No Child Inside Month" by Chicago Wilderness and the Illinois General Assembly. The Leave No Child Inside campaign "promotes a culture in which children enjoy and are encouraged to be outside in nature, and as a result, are healthier, have a sense of connection to their place, and become supporters and stewards of local nature." The Leave No Child Inside website includes a listing of events that fall under this description and will take place all over Chicagoland during the month of June.
This year, the Chicago Wilderness alliance adopted the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights, which includes 10 activities that nourish children's emotional, social, and physical development. These activities range from discovering wilderness to planting a flower and camping.
City kids have the opportunity to experience many aspects of the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights every day in the 207-acre natural haven called Humboldt Park. And as part of Leave No Child Inside month, kids can also participate in a structured family activity coming up on Saturday, June 6th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. called "Family Nature Exploration in Humboldt Park." The event will take place at the Humboldt Park boathouse, 1400 N. Sacramento, and will include activities such as fishing, scavenger hunts, and more.
Chicago Wilderness encourages individuals and organizations to actively use the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights to support efforts to get children off the couch and unglued from television and video games and into the great outdoors. Even Pat Quinn thinks it's a good idea. As quoted in a Chicago Wilderness press release, Quinn said, "I am so pleased that the month of June has been declared 'Leave No Child Inside Month' to promote outdoor recreation in the Land of Lincoln. Many children today suffer from 'Nature Deficit Disorder,' so it is important that we encourage parents and children to enjoy the outdoors by using our parks and open space."
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