Saturday is 7th Annual Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Summit

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DAYTON — The Leave No Child Inside Movement has brought to national attention the critical role that nature plays in healthy childhood development. Reconnecting children with nature is not an environmental issue – it is a childhood development issue. It touches organizations involved in health, education, community services, regional planning, parks, recreation and natural resources. It addresses some of today’s most pressing problems related to children, including obesity, stress related mental health, low self-esteem, poor academic performance and unhealthy environments.

Nature-centered play experiences for children are those that instill wonder and engender curiosity; take place in outdoor settings ranging from backyards to neighborhoods to city parks to wilderness; and occur in the form of guided activities as well as unstructured nature play in children’s everyday lives.

Don’t miss this opportunity to become part of the solution and discover what is being achieved on a local level to make children healthier, happier and smarter by encouraging outdoor play.

The 7th Annual Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Summit is Saturday, March 10 beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Summit will be held at the Main Branch of the Dayton Metro Library located at 215 E. Third Street Dayton, OH.

“The Miami Valley Leave No Child Inside Committee has once again put together a fantastic array of breakout sessions, training, speakers and a youth panel discussion,” said organizers.

Parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and community members alike are invited to participate in a Growing UP WILD Workshop with Lauren Stayer Asquith of Five Rivers Metroparks, Family Café’ Discussion with Abby Rymarczyk from University of Dayton, a Green Schoolyard Workshop and Book Club Discussion featuring “How to Raise a Wild Child” all of this takes place in the morning. The afternoon sessions include the Five Rivers MetroParks OUTstanding Teacher Awards, Keynote Speaker Dr. John Duby “Building Brains Through Outdoor Play” and more. Dr. Duby is a professor and Chair of the Dept. of Pediatrics at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Community Health at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Lastly, the most recent recipients of the Connect to Nature Awards will be honored as well.

For more information or to register for this free event please visit the website https://ohiolnci.org/ohio-regions/miami-valleydayton/summit/ or email Mandy Martin at [email protected].

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