I can’t believe it’s been more than 2 years since I interviewed the man behind Nature Kids, Mr. Kenny Ballentine. At the time, Kenny was hard at work creating a documentary about getting America’s kids back into nature. He came by my house, met The Explorers, shot some footage for his film and got me reinvigorated with the work I do here to help connect children and families with nature.
I’m excited to say that earlier this year, Kenny wrapped production on his feature-length documentary film, Nature Kids. As often happens in filmmaking, my interview with Kenny didn’t quite make it off the cutting room floor. (There are, however, a few snippets of The Explorers that did make it into the final version of the film.)
What’s Nature Kids all about? In a nutshell, the film explores the physical, mental and environmental consequences of a childhood spent indoors. It weaves together interviews from leaders in the field of children and nature with real families doing their best to get their kids outside.
Take a peek at the trailer:
I don’t think this is a film to watch with kids as much as something to watch with your parent/grandparent/caregiver hat on. If you’re new to the children and nature movement, it’s a must-see. You’ll hear from experts such as Richard Louv (author of Last Child in the Woods and the person who coined the term “nature deficit disorder”), Peter Kahn (author of Technological Nature), dinosaur paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson (I’m a big fan) and even kids themselves.
And if you’re already a firm believer that getting kids outside and into nature is vital, Nature Kids will remind you that you’re not alone. There are many, many others working hard to make time in nature a reality for kids everywhere.
Nature Kids is now available on DVD ($19.99) and video on demand (rent it for $3.99 or download it for $9.99).
Win your own copy of Nature Kids!
I’m thrilled to announce that Kenny has provided me with not one, but two copies of Nature Kids to give away here. That’s right – you’ve got a great chance to grab a copy of this film just in time for the holidays!
To enter, leave a comment sharing a favorite activity you’ve enjoyed with a child this fall. Good luck!
- This giveaway will run through midnight PST on Sun., Nov. 17, 2013.
- You must include an email address with your comment. Entries without an email address will not be included. (If you prefer, you can send me your entry by email.)
- This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
- The winner will be chosen using the nifty random number generator at random.org.
- Winner will have 24 hours to reply to my notification. If I don’t hear back after that, I’ll pick another winner.
Note: I received a free copy of Nature Kids to preview in exchange for providing my honest review with you here. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.
Wow – watching sandhill cranes sounds magical! Enjoy the rest of the season, Michelle!
The favorites activities this fall – making leaf prints and standing in awe to watch hundreds of sandhill cranes migrating south.
How fun, Jessica!
What fun you are having! It just keeps getting better, I promise!
I so wish we had more leaves around here, too. My oldest loves crunching them whenever he spots even a few!
Sometimes simple is best. Wishing you a happy fall, friend!
Bald eagles?! Seeing one in the wild is on my life's bucket list. So wonderful you were able to see some!
What fantastic ideas, Linda! I think sometimes people forget just how much fun kids can have connecting with nature right in their own backyard.
Nature provides such inspiration, doesn't it? What a great idea to have an art focus all month!
You have a good eye, friend! Good luck!
That sounds like such fun, Stephanie!
Our favorite fall activity is rafting. Although the cooler temps make much whitewater complicated, its the absolute perfect time to do float trips!
I would love to see Nature kids! I am a k-2 teacher turned stay-at-home mom. I am working on writing a nature-based homeschool program and this would be fantastic for my research. I have two boys (6 months and 3 years). With my six month old, I love to just plop him down in front of a pile of leaves or rocks or grass and let him enjoy the sensory experiences. Sometimes we just lay back and watch
I love hiking this time of year because of all the leaves on the ground. They make a lot of noise and are tons of fun to roll in. We were just enjoying then today.
Yes, the international thing is sometimes a big bummer! I do think you would love this film, so I hope you have a chance to see it. 🙂
Bummer it's only for US residents. It looks so good. I'm sure I could buy my own (might end up in my Christmas stocking). The trailer was so inspiring alone!
My favorite activity with my kids this fall is probably just going for neighborhood walks with our dogs together. colleen(dot)lanin(at)travelmamas(dot)com
Oh, Jeffrey, what a find! The kids & I love watching spiders at work, too – whether working on their web or a meal. Happy Fall!
Favorite moment so far this fall: I just returned from a week-long trip with the grandchildren to a large east coast city. We saw many wonderful sights in the city, went to great restaurants, etc. When I asked them what their favorite part was, all 3 immediately said the same thing: the day we went to an island nature refuge and saw bald eagles! Love those kids and their sense of wonder.
Would love to watch this DVD! I think the favorite thing I've done with my girls this fall is create several outdoor playspaces together. They have a lot of fun with it and it keeps them busy for hours! http://rainorshinemamma.com/outdoor-playspaces-seven-features-that-your-kids-will-love/
I’ve been waiting to see this! I really enjoyed making leaf art! It’s been fun to have an art focus in nature on the blog this month! insideoutsidemichiana @ gmail.com
I saw the Explorers AND you in the trailer. :0) Enjoying lots of bike rides and nature walks this fall. senserk@nwf.org
We live in WV, so we are surrounded by hills and mountains. My favorite time this year was watching my kids roll down a huge hill, climb it, and do it over and over again (while giggling) for an entire afternoon.
Hi Debi — I'd love to see Nature Kids! My favorite Nature moment this fall was with my granddaughter, Callie. We discovered a beautiful spider web, backlit by the sun, on a bush near where she waits for the school bus. She watched as a fly got snagged in the web and then wound up and stored away by the spider. She checked the web every day until one day it was gone.<br />Email: jeff@