About Green Hour™
The National Wildlife Federation’s Green Hour™ provides tips and activities to get kids and families outside in nature everyday. We encourage: kids, parents, grandparents, educators, and caregivers at home, schools, childcare centers, park agencies, camps, and more to adopt a goal of an hour per day of time for children to play and learn outdoors in nature.
The idea of a “green” hour comes from research on creative play and health by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Research also shows the best way to connect young people to a lifelong concern for nature, wildlife, and the outdoors is through regular positive experiences with nature.
Why Connect Kids and Nature?
The nature of childhood has changed. American childhood has moved indoors over the last two decades, taking a mental and physical toll on today’s kids. The average American child spends as few as 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day and more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen.
Connecting with nature has important health benefits, especially for children. Studies show outdoor time helps children grow lean and strong, enhances imaginations and attention spans, decreases aggression, and boosts classroom performance. In addition, children who spend time in nature regularly are shown to become better stewards of the environment.
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