National Kids to Parks Day

Children nationwide will take part in a grassroots movement to celebrate America’s parks through play on Saturday, May 21, as they participate in the National Park Trust’s (NPT) first annual National Kids to Parks Day. The national kick-off event for Kids to Parks is planned for the National Mall on Friday, May 20, 2011.

Recognizing that young people spend far too much time indoors and far too little time appreciating America’s magnificent national, state and local parks – the National Park Trust is mobilizing kids across the country for a nationwide park play-in. Already, over 1600 kids have committed to visit a park on Saturday, May 21 by signing up online at NPT’s Buddy Bison web site (www.BuddyBison.org). Buddy Bison, the wooly mascot and driving force behind NPT’s popular educational program, Where’s Buddy Bison Been?® encourages children to “explore outdoors, the parks are yours.” Thirty schools across the country participate in the Buddy Bison program, which includes outdoor lesson plans, activities and games. In honor of May 21st National Kids to Parks Day, the Buddy Bison web site now includes an area where kids can commit to visit a park and provides a slew of resources for outdoor, healthy living.

“Within hours of our www.BuddyBison.org website going live with Kids to Parks Day, children and families across America were registering online,” said Grace Lee, Executive Director of the National Park Trust. “We hope National Kids to Parks Day will encourage children across America to get out and play. This simple idea of playing in a park can potentially give millions of kids the reason to get active and get outside just as families prepare for summer.”

National Kids to Parks Day has been endorsed by America’s State Parks, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National Education Association (NEA), Children’s National Medical Center, Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, US Army Corps of Engineers, Children & Nature Network, and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition in support of the First Lady’s Let’s Move Outside initiative to get more youth and families to be active and live healthier by achieving the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA).

Families can sign up to be counted in the national tally at www.BuddyBison.org. When they visit a park on May 21, kids can tweet or send in photos to Buddy@BuddyBison.org to have their pictures posted online on a national map commemorating the day. Also available online: park activities and ideas for family fun.

Make sure to take tons of pictures while at the park and make a photobook with VistaPrint Coupons.