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C&NN Natural Families Network

Information

Welcome to the virtual gathering place of the Natural Families Network. A “Natural Family” is any family who values and uses the natural world as a place for playing, growing, and learning. Natural Families believe that children who spend time in nature are happier, healthier and smarter, and aspire to share their experiences with other families.

Website: http://www.childrenandnature.org/movement/naturalfamilies/
Location: Worldwide!
Members: 178
Latest Activity: May 3

EVERY FAMILY CAN BE A NATURAL FAMILY!

The Natural Family Network is a forum designed to connect families virtually, giving space to share ideas and ask for suggestions, where families can be engaged, supportive and encouraged. Here, we discuss and ask questions about using the natural world as a playground for our kids, whereby connecting with nature on a regular basis, they will harvest the seeds of lifelong stewardship in and for the natural world.

It is our hope that this forum will help grow the movement and inspire more families to enjoy the wonders of nature, either with a family nature club, with friends, or on their own! This is a great place to get more information on how to start a family nature club if you’re interested, too. Peruse the topics here and jump in with your own questions and contributions often.

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about the C&NN Connect site.

The goal of the Natural Families Network and this website is to encourage more families to connect their children with nature and to provide a forum where Natural Families can share their ideas, experiences and views.

Please participate actively, and encourage others to join. Get together face-to-face as well when you can!

You'll find tools and resources on the Natural Families Network home pages and throughout the larger Children & Nature Network website.

If you're looking for tools and resources you'll find them on the Natural Families Network home pages and throughout the larger Children & Nature Network website.

Discussion Forum

Do you have a great book to share? 17 Replies

We all have our "favorites"... favorite places, favorite sayings, favorite food, favorite "stuff", right? It would be great for all of us Natural Families to share our favorite books that are…Continue

Started by Janice Swaisgood. Last reply by Jan Ellen Ferrigan May 3.

How does $10,000 - $15,000 sound? 1 Reply

CLIF Kid® Launches 3rd Annual Backyard Game ContestWith New Group Category Contest Aims to Inspire Kids to Balance Technology and Screen Timewith Imaginative, Outdoor Play CLIF Kid®, maker of organic…Continue

Started by Janice Swaisgood. Last reply by Janice Swaisgood May 2.

"Diversity" Focus Group Forming

Hi All ~Are you passionate about ALL FAMILIES connecting to nature? I am!Part of our work with the Children & Nature Network, a big part of it, includes reaching out to diverse and underserved…Continue

Started by Janice Swaisgood Apr 23.

Rediscovering "Where Nature Meets Story" 3 Replies

In my search for good nature-based literature for my 6 and 8 year old boys, I recently rediscovered a fantastic resource we have right here with C&NN. Where Nature Meets Story has reignited my…Continue

Started by Janice Swaisgood. Last reply by Kelly Pfeiffer Mar 21.

First Steps: How (and why) I Started a Family Nature Club 10 Replies

When I was six years old, I visited the snow leopard exhibit at a zoo - a small, concrete, cell-block exhibit. All that animal did was pace back and forth with a maniacal look in its eyes.Back and…Continue

Started by Jeanine Silversmith. Last reply by Janice Swaisgood Mar 20.

How I found the South MS FaN Club 1 Reply

As a landscape architect, I recently joined the Children’s Outdoor Environment Professional Practice Network of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Before having children, I was a member of…Continue

Started by Ashley Norton. Last reply by Janice Swaisgood Mar 18.

Let's start the Let's G.O.! campaign with a bang this year!

The Children and Nature Network (C&NN) recognizes the importance of reconnecting our society to the natural world, especially our children. Their Natural Families Network promotes family…Continue

Tags: world, children, natural, nature, G.O.

Started by Nkrumah Frazier Mar 9.

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Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of C&NN Natural Families Network to add comments!

Comment by Chip Donahue on June 8, 2011 at 7:47am: Yes, this is a great jumpstart article for families. Thanks so much for taking the time to write it up. A great resource!

Comment by Lindsey Wilson on June 7, 2011 at 9:46pm: Great Article Michele! I loved it. Really. Thanks for sharing.

Comment by Michele Whiteaker on June 7, 2011 at 9:20am: I wrote a PRINT article for OC Family magazine in Southern California about "The importance of play" and included quotes from Richard Louv's book - along with a call to families to start a Family Nature Club. We've loved our experience and want others to get out and have some fun. I also included references to NatureRocks.org and ChildrenandNature.org.

The article is a pretty basic intro. It's on pages 34-35: http://digital.ocfamily.com/publication/?i=71226

Hope you're all having fun and playing often!

Comment by Amy Jenkins on May 21, 2011 at 11:26am: Open-Air Parenting book wins literary award. --Just found out that the parents from the Parent Approved/ Parent Tested endorsement organization have sanctioned Every Natural Fact: Five Seasons of Open-Air Parenting: It's an award winner! Very nice coming on the heals of a writing award. Taking kids outside can be as easy as a mom and son on a nature walk. (also of note: Saw Louve in Milwaukee last week. Awesome. Loving his new book.)

Comment by amy pertschuk on May 1, 2011 at 7:43am: Ncff Toolkit Spanish

Comment by Ariella Randle Rogge on February 17, 2011 at 1:02pm: I just wanted to invite ALL families in the Natural Families Network to join C&NN, the American Camp Association, and Sanborn Western Camps for a #GNO (Girls/Guys Night Out) Twitter party on February 22nd from 9-11 EST.

It is a fun, interactive party where we will all exchange ideas about getting kids and families outdoors, discuss the benefits of summer camp, and much, much more. Hope you will be able to join us!

Check out: http://ow.ly/3Yw7A for more information and for a chance to win a tuition to the Sanborn Junior program at Sanborn Western Camps in Florissant, CO.

Comment by Janice Swaisgood on January 31, 2011 at 12:33pm: Congrats Chip and Ashley! Way to go... and go and go and GO!

Comment by Suz Lipman on January 31, 2011 at 12:09pm: Congrats NING members Chip and Ashley Donahue and their family nature club KIVA (Kids in the Valley Adventuring) on 3 years of getting kids into nature.

Great job! Read about how KIVA got started and keeps going here:

http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/kids_group_kiva_celebr...

Comment by Suz Lipman on January 27, 2011 at 12:07pm: This is a wonderful story from Alaska's Kids about the Anchorage Outdoor Family Network, featuring two of our forum members and their clubs -- Harmony Roll, Taiga Trekkers, and Lia Keller, Skedaddle. There's lots of inspiring information about starting a family nature club and about getting out in nature with kids and groups.

Congrats Harmony and Lia on your success. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/alaska_family_nature_c...

Comment by COA's Family Nature Camp on January 26, 2011 at 10:58am: Dear Natural Families members,

We would like to invite you to join us with your entire family this summer and delight in the wonder and adventure of the outdoors with the help of experienced teachers and naturalists in Bar Harbor Maine, home to Acadia National Park!

Register your family before Feb 28th, 2011 and receive special early bird discount! or call us for more information at 1-800-597-9500

or simply visit our website to learn more about how our program is connecting the entire family and nature through educational and fun field trips, nature activities, and free range, healthy, organic food!

Join our Family Nature Camp network and let other families know who may be interested in having a nature vacation in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.

Warm Regards,

Summer Programs at the College of the Atlantic