Make it a goal to spend 100 HOURs (or more!) outdoors this summer!
James River Basin Partnership is excited to be hosting the 100 Hours Outdoors program again this summer! Through this program children and families in southwest Missouri are encouraged to spend at least 100 hours outdoors during summer break. Take the pledge, log your hours, and upon completion receive a small prize in the mail. All who submit will be entered to win exciting prizes including outdoor gear and experiences!
Keep scrolling to learn about 100 Hours Outdoors events with various Springfield-area partners and find tips for making the most of your time outside this summer!
Take the pledge to receive the welcome packet by email and receive periodic emails about 100 Hours Outdoor events. Must register to participate, can be removed from email list at any time. For southwest Missouri residents only.
Upcoming Events
Tracking
Start logging hours when your summer break begins! Track your hours in any way that is convenient for you, or use our official tracking sheet, download here. Submit hours by September 1st to be entered to win exciting prizes!
Resources
Sponsors
Participating Organizations
Programming Sponsors
Take the Pledge!
Please sign up each participating child individually.
Get outside!
Spending time outside and in nature is important for children’s development. Don’t just take our word for it, the Child Mind Institute compiled studies exposing the benefits of spending time outdoors. They list reasons nature is good for kids’ minds, including how it builds confidence, promotes creativity and imagination, gets kids moving, and reduces stress and fatigue.
“Outdoor play helps children grow socially, helping them to develop healthy ways of forming friendships, responding to physical interaction, and using their imaginations to entertain each other. It helps them solve problems, build relationships within their peer group, and gain a respect for nature.” – Katie Lockwood, MD, MEd
In the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, he writes about Nature-Deficit Disorder, addressing the lack of nature in the lives of children. “Nature-deficit disorder is not a medical condition; it is a description of the human costs of alienation from nature. This alienation damages children and shapes adults, families, and communities. There are solutions, though, and they're right in our own backyards.”
This program was started in 2023, inspired by the 1,000 Hours Outside movement. During the inaugural summer, 297 children took the pledge, 78 of whom completed at least 100 hours, and in total there were over 10,000 hours logged by participants. 2023 was sponsored by the Hatch Foundation.
