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MI Governor Granholm Promotes 'No Child Left Inside Days'

April 23, 2008: Recognizing the growing gap between today's children and the outdoor activities, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has designated April 22-27 as 'No Child Left Inside Days' in Michigan.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is promoting the benefits of outdoor recreation by providing a number of opportunities and suggestions for educators, parents and guardians to help in this effort to mend the child-nature connection.

"At a time like this when we are encouraging healthy lifestyles among children, 'No Child Left Inside Days' offer great opportunities to encourage children to participate in outdoor activities and to have an appreciation of our amazing natural resources," said the governor.

The six-day event begins on Earth Day and the DNR is offering several programs to encourage outdoor activities at its state park and state fish hatchery visitor centers across the state. It expects to have more than 1,200 students participate in school programs during the week, and many of the centers will also be hosting special weekend family activities.

According to Raymond Rustem, DNR community relations manager, today's kids spend less time in the outdoors than any previous generation.

"Even as late as the 1970s, kids still spent a great deal of their leisure time outdoors," Rustem said. "Today, it's less than 30 minutes a week and the area that today's child is able to roam is only about 10 percent of what it was for their parents and grandparents."

With this disconnect come other problems. Childhood obesity is five times higher than it was in the 1960s; children have fewer and less diverse playmates than previous generations; and most eight-year-olds are better able to recognize Pokemon and other trading card characters than they can common animals.

For more information, please visit www.michigan.gov/nochildleftinside.

Mentoring News

MI Governor Granholm Promotes 'No Child Left Inside Days'