50,000 passports to a world of outdoor play
Western Australian children are stamping their place in the world of outdoor play, with Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron handing over the 50,000th Nature Play WA Passport to an Amazing Childhood to students from Redcliffe Primary School.
04 July 2012
Mr
Waldron introduced Nature Play in April 2010 as a joint initiative between the
departments of Sport and Recreation; and Environment and Conservation and said
the passports were a valuable tool in getting more kids outside in unstructured
play more often.
The State Government now allocates funding to Nature Play WA in its role as a not-for-profit organisation through the Department of Sport and Recreation’s Sport 4 All program.
“These passports developed by Nature Play WA are designed to give families ideas of things to do to enjoy the great outdoors and begin to rediscover the outdoor childhood that other generations have enjoyed,” Mr Waldron said.
“Unfortunately modern kids are spending more time indoors than any other generation in history, but it is something we can turn around.”
“The
passports themselves have been enormously popular. Nature Play WA had expected
to deliver its 40,000th passport in August this year, but I am delighted that
the uptake has surpassed all expectations and today we are celebrating a much
bigger milestone.”
Nature Play WA CEO Griffin Longley said the group’s message was one that resonated with communities and families, which was probably why the passports had proven so popular.
“We all remember a childhood spent outdoors - building cubbies, playing chasey in the backyard, in the local park, in the bush - and it is so important for our kids’ cognitive, physical and emotional development that they have the chance to have the same experience,” Mr Longley said.
The free passports have travelled to more than 100 schools, clubs and playgroups throughout the State, including the Pilbara, Mid-West, South-West and Great Southern. They have also been picked up by some family nature clubs at Perth Zoo, Rio Tinto Naturescape at Kings Park and Nearer to Nature in the Perth Hills.
Fact File
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50,000 WA children have received Nature Play passports
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Initiative designed to get kids outdoors and active
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Nature Play WA has distributed 50,000 passports across the State
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Passports include 12 pages of places for families to go and things to do to get their kids outside, two pages of stickers, and checklist of 15 things to do before you are 12
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Families encouraged to register their passports at http://www.natureplaywa.org.au to be issued 10 outdoor missions
