PARENTS & TEACHERS

NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE: CHILDREN ENGAGE IN THE WALKING CLASSROOM

Physical fitness and sensory experience sharpen mental skills, spark the imagination, and boost academic achievement.  Adults and teens can help supervise and gently guide younger students of the game, Netwalking, both outdoors and later online doing research.
                             

                          graphics that accompany Fiddlesticks CD
                                                       

WALKING
More people choose walking for exercise over any other athletic activity; it's an easy life skill to adapt.  For children, after school exercise in the form of supervised walking is the road to adventure, along which students can experience nature, discover local history, and develop supportive lifelong friendships.  And they can do all this while they exercise.
 

                                 

STORYWALKING
Outdoor activity helps reduce childhood reduce obesity, depression, and stress disorders, and increase academic achievement by improving cognitive ability.  Numerous studies prove sound health and a well-nurtured spirit promote higher test scores and academic excellence.
     

PLAYSHOPS 
Unstructured independent time after school allows children the opportunity to “play” with the building blocks of learning, as they investigate, discover, analyze, create and innovate.  Supervision by parents, teachers, and teen mentors provide ready guidance when needed, however, it is through free play that children advance their learning.
  
-  Developing both sensory and social skills,

-  Discovering the joy of imagination and movement,

-  Learning practical life skills that assure 
   self-reliance and independence,
-  Identifying and nurturing their own soul identity, and
-  Finding their own special role within their social surroundings.

Age appropriate stories created from Wendy's own adventures provide a framework for establishing school walking clubs that enhance education with active learning.  Walking stories supplied in print, audio and online formats, provide club supervisors with a springboard for daily discussions and exploratory activity in nature, living history, financial literacy, music, drama, and applied art and technology.  
  
                               
 
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Netwalking provides information and access to health professionals who can provide training in building endurance, proper posture, breathing exercises, walking meditation, yoga stretching, and first aide.  The first step in creating a Story Walking program, however, is to secure a safe and clean environment - school grounds, club grounds, a local park, or a well-supervised nature preserve.
  
                                           

FAMILY TIME
We can not underestimate important role of parents and grand-parents in nurturing a child’s spirit and guiding the child toward healthy choices.  Netwalking stories present ideas for weekend family adventures.  The website’s Where to Walk page is filled with suggestions of interesting places to explore. 

Are you aware of the push in schools to teach children about environmental issues?  Are you equally aware of how few of them actually lead children outdoors, where the real hands-on environmental learning takes place?  When the bells rings at 3:00 pm, and seated learning stops, opportunities for active learning begin.  This is when we ask children about what they are learning in the classroom, so we fill in the gaps and tailor additional learning to their individual interests.  
  

Wendy Nadherny Fachon is the founder of Rhode Island Netwalking and the creator of Story Walking.  She is dedicated to delivering Storywalking to after school enrichment programs and to help schools set-up effective walking clubs. 

If you would like us to send you a FREE Club Starter Kit, click here.

If you would like to learn more about Wendy, click here.

   
                                         
  
                                        Wendy Nadherny Fachon
                                        Netwalking
                                        P.O. Box 2221
                                        East Greenwich, RI  02818
                                        wendy@netwalkri.com

                                        401 884-1559
 
SUGGESTED READING

The National Wildlife Federation recently published an insightful article, No Child Left Inside, discussing the underlying causes of "nature deficit" disorder and the future health implications if parents don't start to address these specific needs.  The NWF published another excellent article, The Five Reasons Parents Should Be Demanding a Greener Education for Their Children, which looks at the long-term value of providing our children with more environmental education experiences. 

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Click here to follow the Storywalking program for ages 6-8,
OR
Click here to find out about the netergetics program for ages 9-12,
OR
Click here to check out our Netwalking program for ages 12+ and follow a trail of clues yourself,
OR
For a fun story that incorporates economics, nutrition, and local history, click to our sister website about nutrition and read Nuggets of Wisdom.