It's TACO Week! No not the delicious tacos you eat (even though they should have their own week!), it stands for Take A Child Outside Week!
The week of Septemeber 24th to September 30th
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If you have read a few of my articles then you know I typically like to give a little background or a few facts before I get to the fun stuff, and this article is no exception. So if you don't like interesting possibly useless facts then feel free to skip right to my list of local places either participating in TACO Week or having an event that fits the purpose/meaning of TACO Week. No Judgement, a few years ago I probably wouldn't have even made it through the sentence you are reading right now!
Take a Child Outside Week was started in 2006 by a group of staff at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences that were really moved by the book "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" written by Richard Louv's. In the past 13 years Take a Child Outside Week quickly spread across the country with multiple organizations offering special activities that week and families participating! Just another reason to love the state of North Carolina for helping spread such an important message! TACO Week runs annually from September 24th to September 30th with a simple goal to get our children outside, exploring nature.
| Positive Effects of Spending More Time Outside: -can reduce stress & anxiety -improve eyesight-helps support creativity & problem-solving skills -increases physical activity -enhances cognitive abilities | Negative Effects of Spending More Time Inside: -more prone to anxiety & depression -lower school grades -reduced creativity -more likely to have attention deficit disorder(s) -don't deal with stress as well |
Local Places To Celebrate TACO:
Monday 23rd:
--Hammocks Beach State Park: Monday 23rd - Wednesday 25th 4:00-5:00 pm
Each day the Junior Ranger participants will explore parts of the great outdoors at Hammocks Beach with new topics every day.
These sessions will help the participants work towards their Junior Ranger certification.
Click HERE for more information on the event
Tuesday 24th:
-Hammocks Beach State Park's day 2 of Take a Child Outside activities! Meet at the Visitor Center at 4:00 pm, make sure to wear comfy shoes on this day since you will be walking on one of the trails.
Click HERE for more information
Wednesday 25th: 8:00 am
-Ranger-guided Kayak Eco Tour through the marsh waters around the State Park to explore the amazing ecosystems there!
Items that will be provided are kayaks, paddles, and lifejackets!
-FHBI offers a great informative 120 minute Marsh Cruise On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. The tour starts at the Hammocks Beach State Park Ferry Dock then takes you around the beautiful Hammocks Beach Islands, the Bogue Sound, and Swansboro!
Click HERE for more information.
Thursday 26th:
Explore a new park today with your family!
Friday 27th:
-Hog Wild at Howard Farm
Click HERE for more information
Saturday 28th:
-New River Splash Triathlon 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Click HERE for more information
-New Trail Grand Opening at Hammocks Beach State Park
Click HERE for more information
-Beach Music Festival at Emerald Isle
Click HERE for more information
-NCPD Grand Opening & Antique Tractor Tour
Click HERE for more information
For more outdoor events for today click HERE for the full event calendar!
To find more great local activities and event for TACO week check out the Macaroni Kid Event Calendar and make sure you are subscribed to the FREE weekly e-newsletter to stay informed of any local family-friendly event! Subscribe HERE!
More information on Richard Louv:
Richard Louv is a child advocacy expert that could see the disturbing changes in childhood development such as depression, the rise in obesity, and attention disorders. So he took the research and knowledge he had on this matter to write a book to shed some light on the belief that direct exposure to nature is necessary for a healthy childhood development as well as the emotional and physical health in both children & adults. Richard published "Last Child in the Woods" in 2005 and released an expanded edition just 3 years later in 2008.
Click HERE for more information on Take a Child Outside Week
Definition of Nature-Deficit Disorder: is the idea that human beings, especially children, are spending less time outdoors, and the belief that this change results in a wide range of behavioral problems. Definition copied from Wikipedia
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