Take A Child Outside Week, an international initiative spearheaded by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, kicked off Thursday, September 24 and runs through Wednesday, September 30. Designed to help break down obstacles that keep children from exploring the natural world, the program encourages children and adults to spend time together outdoors.
Triangle Land Conservancy is thrilled to have our seven public nature preserves featured on the museum’s newly redesigned Take A Child Outside website. You can find all kinds of places to explore across the country using the interactive map — can you find the TLC nature preserves?
Take A Child Outside Week is a great time to start the TLC Hiking Challenge or the Triangle Explorer program! We recommend the That Makes Sense Trail at Horton Grove for kids to learn about the habitats and wildlife around them. The new Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve is also a great new place to explore as a family, and the picnic tables at Brumley South would make for a lovely picnic (just check to make sure these trails are open with all the rain we’ve been having).
“Free time in nature has been shown to improve every area of a child’s life, from having healthier, stronger bodies, to being more successful in school, to having better relationships in their community,” says Beth Cranford, program coordinator for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in a press release. “Time outside every day should be part of your regular routine.”
