Nature Education Resources

Children and Nature Belong Together

Take the "Green Spoken Here" Nature Pledge!
Promote contact with nature and pro-environmental behaviors with youth in your programs.  Encourage youth and families to do the same when camp is over.

Get Green!
107 tips to help make your camp a Green Camp

  • While we have seen a 10% increase in camps that offer environmental education programs, we have seen a 7,875% increase in camps that specialize in environmental education programs since 2001.
  • Camps are becoming increasingly "green," and are using green facilities, recycling programs, and other conservation efforts to educate campers.
  • Many camps are "going green" by building structures with partially recycled materials.
  • Many camps create energy-efficient buildings, and will even seal off parts of the building during the winter so that they do not have to heat the whole building, therefore conserving energy.

Articles on Children and Nature

Link to many ACA Resources, including Camping Magazine which has published many helpful articles on connecting children to nature and respect for the environment.

Measure Affinity for Nature

ACA's youth outcome survey designed to measure a child's emotional connection to nature. Find out if your program is making a difference.

Lasting Impressions
By Jim Parry

What we as camp staff are trying to do is make a lasting, positive impression. We want them to make friends with their bunk mates. We want them to remember the camp song. The camper should learn good habits, have good character, a sense of real companionship, and experience the value of hard work and play. Read More

Online Resources
There are many Web sites that can help you, your staff, your campers, and your camper families connect with nature.

Green Resources for Family Fun
Nature Rocks and Hooked on Nature's Nature Circle Cards

  • Enjoy a five senses hike.
  • Organize a nature scavenger hunt.
  • Explore a local nature trail.
  • Camp out in the backyard.
  • Take a nature photo safari.
  • Put up a bird feeder and watch for visitors.
  • Observe the night sky.
  • Plant a family tree and watch it grow.
  • Invite neighborhood kids to join in a bug walk and critter talk.
  

Read Green!
Here is a list of books—for parents and children—to help you get in a Green state of mind.