For many years Ijams Nature Center has been a beloved park. The Ijams family first offered Girl Scout camps back in 1923 and thousands of individuals and groups visited this special place during the 1920s through the 1970s. Since the 1980s, nearly every school-aged child in Knoxville and its surrounding counties has come to Ijams on a field trip. Hundreds of children have attended summer camp and learned to love and care for the earth. Thousands of visitors walk our trails annually and come to learn during our owl prowls and woodcock walks, or to simply enjoy a day in a beautiful park—all just minutes from downtown Knoxville. We are incredibly proud of our history and of our commitment to connecting visitors to nature, which has resulted in
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Intellectually, the state of Tennessee routinely ranks below national averages in student aptitude. Physically, our state struggles with the health challenges of childhood obesity and diabetes. Emotionally, we are among states with the highest prevalence of children diagnosed with anxiety and attention disorders. Connecting children to nature is essential to not only boosting classroom performance, but it is critical in helping children develop their imagination, decrease aggression, ease stress and improve their attention span. It is our belief that getting kids outdoors and having fun in nature will increase the chances of children developing healthy lifestyles and important life skills that will last into …show more content…
At Ijams, we have found that many of our program participants, children in particular, are new to outdoor activities. Being located in an area where approximately 60% of the school-age children qualify for free or reduced lunch, we are learning that many kids have little to no exposure to outdoor activities that may require expensive recreational equipment such as climbing gear, kayaks and bikes. Many of these children may also have limited access to adults who can foster their developing passion for nature. As educators we are learning that families, and other trusted adults, are direct decision makers in the lives of children and must be at the forefront of this movement. Building on the foundation established by the Natural Families Network, we hope to create ways to encourage families to spend active time together in the natural
Intellectually, the state of Tennessee routinely ranks below national averages in student aptitude. Physically, our state struggles with the health challenges of childhood obesity and diabetes. Emotionally, we are among states with the highest prevalence of children diagnosed with anxiety and attention disorders. Connecting children to nature is essential to not only boosting classroom performance, but it is critical in helping children develop their imagination, decrease aggression, ease stress and improve their attention span. It is our belief that getting kids outdoors and having fun in nature will increase the chances of children developing healthy lifestyles and important life skills that will last into …show more content…
At Ijams, we have found that many of our program participants, children in particular, are new to outdoor activities. Being located in an area where approximately 60% of the school-age children qualify for free or reduced lunch, we are learning that many kids have little to no exposure to outdoor activities that may require expensive recreational equipment such as climbing gear, kayaks and bikes. Many of these children may also have limited access to adults who can foster their developing passion for nature. As educators we are learning that families, and other trusted adults, are direct decision makers in the lives of children and must be at the forefront of this movement. Building on the foundation established by the Natural Families Network, we hope to create ways to encourage families to spend active time together in the natural