Texas Children in Nature - North Texas

Texas Children in Nature - North Texas is collaborative partnership with local DFW groups dedicated to connecting families throughout North Texas to the outdoors.  We grew out of the 2010 state wide initiative to combat the “Nature Deficit Disorder” of Texas children– a term coined by author Richard Louv in his book "Last Child in the Woods, Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder".  The partnership is one of five regional collaboratives that meet regularly to network and implement a yearly plan of action to encourage and enable families to spend more time outdoors.  We envision that all Texas children and their families will spend more time outside, engaged in nature for a happy and healthy life.  Through the resources of the NatureRocksNorthTexas website, our partnership connects families to partner’s programs, events and natural spaces.  By providing the tools to discover easy and frequent connections to our natural world, we believe North Texas families will become healthier, happier, and smarter.

 

Texas Children in Nature

We envision that all Texas children and their families will spend more time outdoors, engaged in nature for a healthier and happier life.  Nature Rocks Texas is one of our tools that we designed in partnership with our regional collaboratives, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center to help connect families to nature in their communities. 

Research shows that children today are spending between 7-11 hours per day indoors, sedentary with media and only minutes per day playing outdoors.  This disconnection with nature has ill effects on children and adults such as a rise in obesity, diabetes, depression, near-sightedness and attention deficit disorder.  The good news is this is a solvable problem!  Our 300 plus partners around state are working hard to create access to nature, develop curriculum that teaches kids about their natural world and helping break down the barriers that disconnect families from nature.  We now know that children and families who play and learn in nature are Healthier, Happier and Smarter.  For more information visit TexasChildreninNautre.org 

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department supports the work of Texas Children in Nature to connect more children and families with nature.  Our mission is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. We provide access to nature through our state parks, state natural areas and wildlife managment area, and we create outdoor opportunities for families with our outreach and education programs.