Today’s young hikers, campers, climbers and paddlers are tomorrow’s adult outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists, but sadly fewer and fewer youths are heading each year outdoors. In recent decades, the American childhood has rapidly moved indoors, leading to epidemic levels of childhood obesity and inactivity.
The United States now faces an unprecedented public health and conservation problem. Getting today’s youths reconnected with the outdoors has become critical to the health of future generations. Our children are desperate for the physical, mental and social benefits of a healthy, active outdoor lifestyle and our natural landscapes need the support and protection of individuals with a strong connection to the outdoors.
The Outdoor Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association, released the 2020 Outdoor Participation Report, showing just over half of Americans ages 6 and older participated in outdoor recreation, including hunting, hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing among many more outdoor activities. However, nearly half of the U.S. population did not share in the proven, positive outcomes of physical activity that takes place outdoors. (Keep in mind that these results were pre-pandemic.)
Youth participation flashed a warning signal, as it declined across the board in 2019. Participation fell for both girls and boys and for both children and young adults. Among females, young adults ages 18 to 24 saw the biggest year-over-year decline, down 4.9%. Among males, boys ages 13 to 17 saw the biggest year-over-year decline, down 4%. Adults with children in their households had much higher outdoor participation rates than adults without children — 57% versus 44.4%. Households with children continued to drive participation growth, and without family and youth participants, the outdoor industry risks slipping into decline.
Children 6 to 17 years old embarked on an average of 77.1 outdoor outings per person per year. Despite having dropped over the past three years, youth outings remained higher than the 70.7 average outings taken by the overall participant population ages 6 and older. Young adult outdoor participants between the ages of 18 and 24 embarked on 1.63 billion outdoor outings, up 3% from the previous year. The typical young adult participant went on 14.1 more outings than a youth participant, and 20.5 more than the overall participant population ages 6 and older.
The most popular outdoor activities among 6- to 17-year-olds includes road, mountain, and BMX biking, running, jogging and trail running, car, backyard, backpacking and RV camping, freshwater, saltwater and fly fishing, and hiking. The most popular outdoor activities among young adults ages 18 to 24 include running, jogging and trail running, hiking, road, mountain and BMX biking, car, backyard, backpacking and RV camping, and freshwater, saltwater, and fly fishing.
With so much at stake with our young people today, the 4-H program is one avenue that offers many opportunities for youngsters and adolescents to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. 4-H gives its members events at the county level as well as the district and state levels. These meaningful, fun programs get them outdoors as well as introduced them to the outdoor world at a young age. Get involved with your county 4-H program by considering allowing your children to join a great organization with many educational activities as well as outdoor adventures.
4-H information
Several 4-H Clubs are available for Garland County youths who are 5 to 19 years old. For more information on all the fun 4-H activities that are available, call Carol Ann McAfee at the Garland County Cooperative Extension Service office at 623-6841 or email her at [email protected]
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge. The meetings are open to the public and guests are welcome. For more information, call the Extension office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at [email protected]
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For more information, call Alison Crane at 623-6841 or email her at [email protected]
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