Get Outdoors! Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Park System has a new initiative aimed at getting children and families to spend more time outdoors with nature. It's fun, and it's good for you!

More Green Time, Less Screen Time

"Get Outdoors! Wisconsin" addresses a growing problem, what author Richard Louv terms “nature deficit disorder:”

• Kids today spend an average of 6.5 hours per day with television, computers and video games.
• In fact, a child is six times more likely to play a video game than to ride a bike.
• Childhood obesity rates for children ages 6-11 have risen four-fold since 1971.
• The number of kids on prescription medication to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has increased 100-fold in less than 50 years.
• Prescriptions for antidepressants for children have doubled in five years.

Nature Is Good for Kids

• Children who interact regularly with nature have better cognitive and creative skills and a better ability to deal with stress.
• Regular experiences in nature may alleviate ADHD symptoms and reduce the need need for medication.
• Kids who spend time outdoors tend to show improved test scores.
• Kids who grow up connected to nature are good for the environment. They develop positive behaviors toward the environment and tend to become life-long supporters of the environment and the conservation of nature.

A 2-year-old enjoys exploring the woods and picking up litter.
Photo by Bonnie Gruber

Reconnecting Families and Nature

We plan to:

• Reconnect kids (and parents) with nature. See a list of programs/events.
• Overcome the parental “fear factor”
• Educate parents about where to go and what to do
• Promote health and wellness
• Promote appreciation of the environment
• Provide safe, accessible places for nature-based recreation and exploration.
• Provide opportunities for unstructured, nature-based play and outdoor recreation, as well as traditional naturalist programs.
• Encourage families to explore state parks and forests at their own pace and in their own way.


What's swimming in the water at Big Bay State Park?
DNR Photo by Bonnie Gruber

• Hold special events around the “Get Outdoors!” theme.

Growing for the Future

• We’ll be looking for partners from others, ranging from youth and service organizations to conservation clubs to health and wellness providers.
• We’re already exploring opportunities for joint marketing and cooperative efforts with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center and its extensive network of nature and education centers, Nature Net.
• By helping to keep Wisconsin’s children connected to the natural world around them, we can ensure that our state’s legacy of environmental stewardship will continue through the work of future leaders who follow in the footsteps of leaders like Aldo Leopold.