Take Me Outside Day

Today is "TAKE ME OUTSIDE DAY" here in Canada.  Take Me Outside (TMO) is a non-profit organization committed to educating and creating awareness with Canadians about our connection with nature and our time spent outside. As a teacher, I enjoyed spending time outside with my students and found that I got to see a side of them that I would have missed had we only done our learning indoors.

To participate in Take Me Outside Day you can:

1. Get outside with your class!

2. Let Take Me Outside know that you are participating by filling in the online form.

3. Complete the TMO Challenge - they have separate ones for students, parents and teachers.

4. Share your outdoor learning experiences on social media #TakeMeOutsideDay

5. Spread the word - let students, parents, colleagues and the media know why outdoor time is essential for healthy students.



On the TMO Challenge page, they note: A connection to nature and time spent outside is invaluable to building optimal mental, emotional, social and physical health for every child and youth. Research supports the links between a child’s connection with nature and their health. Increased outdoor time can be directly connected to improved physical activity levels, higher academic achievement, decreased child injury rates, increased attention spans, positive social interaction and increased engagement at school, home and in the community.

In addition to the resources on the TMO page, here are others you may find helpful:

Natural Curiosity: Building Children's Understanding of the World Through Environmental Inquiry - a free downloadable book for Kindergarten to Grade 6

Ready Set Wonder: Nature Prompts for the Early Learning and Child Care Educators - a free downloadable book from the Back to Nature Network
(also available in French at http://www.back2nature.ca/readysetwonder-version-francais-de-attention-prets-a-lemerveillement/)

Into Nature: A guide to teaching in nearby nature - a free downloadable book with lesson ideas for students in kindergarten to grade 6 from Back to Nature Network
(also available in French at http://www.back2nature.ca/teachers-guide-into-nature-french/)

101 Nature Study Ideas

25 Mighty Girl Books about outdoor discovery

9 books that will inspire your little animal to get out of the house and into nature

7 books to inspire nature play