SAN FRANCISCO, CA –Whether kids want to spend a tranquil day communing with turtles at McNab Lake or an exhilarating five minutes rolling down a hill at Alamo Square Park, San Francisco Children & Nature is offering over 100 ideas for outdoor fun in the city.
The citywide collaborative launched the expansive list on its website today in advance of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 24. Established in 1994 by the National Park Service, National Public Lands Day celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages the use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department will explore different adventures throughout the year on its social media.
Among the 100+ Things to Do in Nature:
- Follow Golden Gate Park’s water trail from Rainbow Falls to the Portals of the Past
- Explore Michelangelo Playground. a beautiful hidden oasis in Russian Hill .
- Build and balance at Heron’s Head Nature Exploration Area
- Discover the whimsical sculptures in Cayuga Park in the Outer Mission.
- Go cardboard box sledding at Youngblood-Coleman Playground in Bayview-Hunters Point
“Kids who experience nature in their daily lives are healthier, happier, and more resilient. It improves everything from self-esteem to academic performance. Despite all these benefits, childhood has moved largely indoors. We want to make sure city kids get a little slice of nature every day, and part of that is exposing the wonderful outdoor adventures right in their neighborhoods,” said San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg.
San Francisco Children & Nature is a citywide collaborative that works to address the disparities in nature access along socioeconomic and racial lines to ensure all children have the opportunity to play, learn and grow in the outdoors.
In 2021, SF Children & Nature and its member organizations opened four new nature exploration areas including Heron's Head Park; "natured-up" nine preschool play spaces with volunteers; and developed resources for communities to design spaces where children can connect with nature through play.
“Time outdoors is vital to children’s development, and it’s powerful even in small doses. We hope this list of ideas will inspire kids and their parents to discover the green spaces in their neighborhoods that spark imagination,” said Ingrid Mezquita, director of San Francisco’s Department of Early Childhood, which is also part of the SF Children & Nature collaborative.
To discover 100+ ways to enjoy nature in San Francisco, click sfchildrennature.org/explore.
About SF Rec & Park
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department currently manages more than 220 parks, playgrounds and open spaces throughout San Francisco, including two outside city limits—Sharp Park in Pacifica and Camp Mather in the High Sierras. The system includes full-complex recreation centers, swimming pools, golf courses, sports fields and numerous small-to-medium-sized clubhouses that offer a variety of sports- and arts-related recreation programs for people of all ages. Included in the Department’s responsibilities are Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, the Marina Yacht Harbor, the San Francisco Zoo and Lake Merced.
In 2017, San Francisco became the first city in the nation where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk, a direct result of the Department’s commitment to increasing and improving parkland in the city.
About SF Children & Nature
San Francisco Children & Nature is a citywide collaborative that works to address the disparities in nature access along socioeconomic and racial lines to ensure all children have the opportunity to play, learn and grow in the outdoors.
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