Getting our kids outside..

According to recent studies from the National Institute for Health and the U.S National Library for Medicine, some children are spending upwards of 5-7 hours a day on screen time. Here are some great resources for parents to get your kids up and active outside.

• Be Out There (NWF Campaign)
• Active.com (Ideas to get children outdoors)
• Kids Alfresco
• Get Children Outdoors
• Kids Outdoors
• Children and Nature Network
• Appalachian Mountain Club (Ideas to get kids outside) 

Photo Courtesy of http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Screen time and childrenBookmark & Shar

"Screen time" is any time that is spent in front of a screen, such as a TV, computer, or video game player. 

Screen time is sedentary activity, or being inactive while sitting down. Very little energy is used during screen time.
Most children spend about 3 hours a day watching TV. When you add in other screen time activities,
it is closer to 5 - 7 hours a day.Computers can be helpful when kids are using them to do schoolwork.
But surfing the internet, spending time on Facebook, or watching YouTube videos is considered
unhealthy screen time.

WECan a program developed by the NIH helps educate the importance of physical activitiy and
reducing screen time.
For more information please visit
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000355.htm

According to the MayoClinic
To much screen time can have detrimental effects on developing children:

The effects of too much screen time

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting a child's use of TV, movies, video and computer games to no more than one or two hours a day. Too much screen time has been linked to:

• Obesity. Children who watch more than two hours of TV a day are more likely to be overweight.
• Irregular sleep. The more TV children watch, the more likely they are to resist going to bed and to have trouble falling asleep.
• Behavioral problems. Elementary students who spend more than two hours a day watching TV or using a computer are more likely to have emotional, social and attention problems. Exposure to video games also increases the risk of attention problems in children. Children who watch excessive amounts of TV are more likely to bully than children who don't.
• Impaired academic performance. Elementary students who have TVs in their bedrooms tend to perform worse on tests than those who don't.
• Violence. Too much exposure to violence on TV and in movies, music videos, and video and computer games can desensitize children to violence. As a result, children may learn to accept violent behavior as a normal part of life and a way to solve problems.
• Less time for play. Excessive screen time leaves less time for active, creative play