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Blog Entries - time outside

A group of teens stand holding upright surf boards on a beach
Photo courtesy of Native Like Water

Indigenizing Outdoor Recreation

April 5, 2023    community mentorship, decolonization, indigenous communities, indigenous leaders, kids in nature, native like water, outdoor recreation, ríos to rivers, time outside, youth development, youth recreation

Due to historical and present day forms of racism, including the legacy of colonialism, many Indigenous communities do not have access to the same services and resources as predominantly white communities. Indigenous

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Kids jump in the air while playing outside

Reflections from Grantee Reports

January 13, 2023    grants, kids outside, national recreation foundation, outdoor recreation, philanthropy, time outside, youth recreation

Every year, NRF grantees tell us about the work that they’ve accomplished over the course of their grant period. Every year, we get the opportunity to appreciate all the effort each organization puts into making their

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three young kids on a playground

Nature Can Boost Positive Youth Development

October 15, 2021    connection to nature, healthy kids, nearby nature, positive youth development, recreation research, time outside, youth recreation

Positive youth development (PYD) is a key aspect of many youth recreation programs. While PYD sounds like industry jargon, it is simply an approach to engaging with young people that works towards positive life outcomes

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a group of people gathered around a map on a picnic table
Image courtesy of Outdoors Empowered Network

NRF & Tom's of Maine Team Up to Promote Equitable Access to Nature

September 29, 2021    audubon texas, children & nature network, environmental justice, equity, get into nature, greater newark conservancy, greenspace access, healthy kids, national recreation foundation, nature, outdoor recreation, outdoors empowered network, rippleffect, rosario dawson, time outside, toms of maine, youth recreation

One of NRF’s core values is health. We care about healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy environment. That’s why we’re teaming up with a company that shares this focus. Tom’s of Maine creates

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father and son fishing together

Families That Play Together

June 28, 2021    benefits of recreation, family recreation, family relationships, healthy families, time outside, youth recreation

Recreation has all kinds of benefits for the mental, physical, and social health of young people. One of the primary benefits of youth recreation is that it often builds a sense of community and provides opportunities

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mother and son hugging

Youth Mental Health in 2021: Where Do We Go From Here?

February 23, 2021    covid-19, mental health support, pandemic, time outside, youth mental health, youth recreation

The pandemic has been hard on everyone. In addition to implications for the physical wellbeing of those who contract COVID-19 and widespread economic repercussions, we are also seeing declines in mental health. While

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