The Franklin County Garden Club, a member of the National Garden Club, recently offered a “#Play Outside” challenge to help encourage students to spend more time playing outside all year long. 

Club President Lola Eslick explained the great benefits of the challenge.

“Outside activities build physically healthier individuals, improve motor skills, help prevent obesity and strengthen muscles and bones,” she said. “Unstructured outdoor play for children contributes to cognitive and social/emotional development, improves imagination, develops positive behavior skills, and improves communication, cooperation and organizational skills.”

The challenge involved students logging their outdoor activities in a downloadable workbook for 30 days. Those that completed the challenge received a certificate acknowledging their achievement.  

The #Play Outside downloadable workbook is located on the National Garden Club site and features a coloring page as well as the log to be completed listing children’s activities.  

First-graders at North Lake Elementary recently accepted the challenge and began to complete their workbook journals in mid-April. They enjoyed such outdoor activities as drawing on the sidewalk with chalk, participating in a field day, going on a nature walk at a local state park and eating a picnic lunch outside, just to name a few.

“The children were very proud of themselves, and we hope they keep playing outside as much as possible,” Eslick said.

As a reward for their efforts, the Franklin County Garden Club presented a $50 Dunham’s gift card to North Lake Elementary School to purchase playground equipment.