Children in Athens, Georgia, are getting plenty of natural,
outdoor play thanks to the Institute for Wild Intelligence, which leads programs for adults, children and families who want to reconnect with nature, Athens Patch reports.
"Our goal has nothing to do with information, it has to do with connection," Evan McGown, founder of the institute, told the news source. "When children feel that connection, they will have a twinkle in their eye, their chest will puff up, and they will have an aliveness to their body."
McGown told the news source that many families have lost their connection to outdoor play because of a number of indoor distractions. In a 2006 survey, 67 percent of parents said their children spent less time outdoors than they did the summer before, and 91 percent of parents blamed TV, computers and video games for their child's aversion to outdoor play.
However, parents may be a hindrance too, McGown explained to the publication.
"Children look to adults, and many parents are fear-ridden and have their kids under house arrest," he said.
By engaging the whole family, the institute allows all members to rediscover a sense of playfulness and love for nature, the news outlet reports.