Developing Healthy Kids Through Outdoor Play: Be Out There Government Leader Tips

For change to happen, it must be supported on the local, state and national level. Government leaders and policy makers can do their part to ensure America’s childhood moves back outside.

• Pass the federal Moving Outdoors in Nature Act and the federal No Child Left Inside Act to engage children in outdoor learning at school.
• Adopt the Centers for Disease Control environmental policies to support obesity prevention.
• Urge the U.S. Surgeon General to issue a “Call to Action” on the health benefits of healthy, active time outdoors in nature.
• Include policies that connect children with nature in the White House’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative and the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign.
• Create comprehensive state strategies for connecting children to nature through education, health, parks and recreation.
• Partner with health organizations to design plans, projects or policies that promote health.
• Provide funds and manpower at the local level so that safe outdoor play areas can be developed, especially in underserved communities.