Welcome To
Be Outside, Idaho
Inspiring kids and their families to spend time outdoors and bring activity back in their lives.
Climbing rocks, playing tag, riding a bike, collecting sticks and leaves—many adults have childhood memories of playing and exploring outdoors. These types of outdoor ventures, whether out the back door or in the wild, contribute to good health, mentally and physically.
Sadly, many of today’s children are missing out on these activities. Children ages 8 – 10 spend an average of 30 hours per week in front of a screen using entertainment media—about 4 of these are spent watching TV, according to Blue Cross of Idaho Health Foundation.
Spending time in the outdoors and in nature can:
• Reduce stress
• Increase children’s focus
• Benefit children’s emotional and social development
• Improve school performance
• Enhance creativity, problem solving ability, self esteem and self control
• Improve cognitive ability
• Improve health
Who we are
Be Outside, Idaho is a coalition of over 100 diverse organizations that collaborate and share resources to help address ‘nature deficit disorder’ and connect Idaho’s youth to the outdoors. Our partners include representatives from: state and federal public lands managers, wildlife managers, healthcare providers, educators, city parks and recreation departments, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, individuals and others. Be Outside Idaho provides resources and opportunities to Idahoans that promote youth activity and outdoor time.
In 2011, BOI partners launched a signature April event that is spreading across the state—Unplug and Be Outside Week. This campaign offers opportunities for youth and families to connect with outdoor and educational resources in their own communities—to develop awareness of their own ‘screen time’ and take a break from it to connect with local parks, hiking trails, nature education and other resources in their community.
CONTACT US VIA FACEBOOK MESSAGE @BEOUTSIDEIDAHO
The 2023-2024 Grant Cycle is open as of Sept 1, 2023.
Click here for application!
Funded Projects for 2022-2023
The Be Outside, Idaho grant program is designed to fund projects that are aimed towards getting children in nature. The grant is funded by the Idaho Recreation and Tourism Initiative (IRTI), which is a coalition of state, federal, nonprofit, and private entities.
Total Awarded: $16,371!
What you can do
On the pages of this site you will find information, activities and links to many guides, how-to activities, places to go and things to do in Idaho. We encourage you to review some of the reading and viewing materials—Be Outside, Idaho created a serious of videos viewable on You Tube on connecting kids to the outdoors and many activities you can do in your town or nearby.
Be Outside Idaho Video Library
Did You
Know?
Did you know?
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Children spend as much as 7.5 hours in front of electronic media in a typical day. (Kaiser Family Foundation)
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Sixty minutes of daily unstructured free play is essential to children’s physical and mental health. (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008)
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The lack of outdoor play time has taken its toll on children’s health. Chronic health conditions such as obesity, asthma, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder plague children throughout the nation, including at home in Idaho. Currently, 27.5% of children in Idaho are overweight or at-risk for overweight while 62.9% of adults in Idaho are either overweight or obese. (Kaiser Family Foundation www.statehealthfacts.org)
