Thirteen years ago, National Park Trust launched Kids to Parks Day, which occurs on the third Saturday in May, meaning this year’s national day of outdoor park play and recreation will be this Saturday.
For 2023, the National Park Trust teams with the American Academy of Pediatrics and Mental Health Awareness Month to promote the physical and mental health benefits of getting outdoors and enjoying nature and parks.
Families are encouraged to explore new parks, public lands or waters or revisit a favorite and plan a day of outdoor activity, which Park Trust hopes will inspire families to plan park trips and outdoor fun throughout the summer.
“Getting outdoors and being active is so important for children’s mental and physical wellbeing,” said American Academy of Pediatrics President Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP. “The scientific evidence tells us outdoor play is good for children’s health. Plus, most children love it. On Kids to Parks Day, take your children to a park for summer fun, exercise and better mental health.”
Founded by National Park Trust, the mission of Kids to Parks Day is to foster the next generation of park stewards.
“Whether or not your local park is planning a special Kids to Parks Day event, we hope families will get outdoors, be active and plan a fun outing to launch the summer park season,” said Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust. “As we like to say, kids need parks, and parks need kids.”
National Park Trust has a website, www.parktrust.org, to help families find outdoor events around the country and activity guides that help to plan a fun adventure. Additionally, families can download National Park Trust’s free ParkPassport mobile app to access park-specific information.
“By engaging kids in memorable outdoor experiences while discovering and exploring parks, kids learn about park stewardship, outdoor recreation, STEM and the history of our country and its amazing national treasures,” Lee added.
