Why is something like the Great American Backyard Campout so important?
David Mizejewski: We know that increasingly people are spending less and less time outside, kids in particular. The average American kid spends over six hours a day indoors in front of electronic screens (TV, computers, video games, texting, etc.) and almost no time outside. We’ve seen a spike in health issues such as childhood obesity and a declining knowledge of the natural world as a result of this “indoor kid” trend. At the same time, we know that parents are often hesitant to let their kids outside for perceived safety reasons or because they themselves aren’t comfortable in the outdoors. National Wildlife Federation is committed to helping families connect with nature and combat the problems of indoor lifestyles by getting outside. We started the Great American Backyard Campout as a way to give families a great way to get unplugged, experience the wonders of nature and have some fun while they’re doing it. You don’t necessarily have to go to a far away wilderness area to have an
