California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights

With America's rich history of settlement of vast expanses of our continent, our population's experience with the outdoors was a natural by-product to this development. Recent generations have become more urban centric, which has led to a youth detachment from outdoor activities, lack of physical exercise and increased health risks. The California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks and Tourism Council adopted the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights for the purpose of recommending a fundamental list of experiences that every child in California would benefit from experiencing, before entering high school.

Numerous studies document that children who do these things are healthier, do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives. The Shasta Cascade Educational Foundation was involved in the development of these fundamental rights, and endorses their potential role in helping children experience the outdoors.

Every child should have the opportunity to:

1. Play in a safe place
2. Explore nature
3. Learn to swim
4. Go fishing
5. Follow a trail
6. Camp under the stars
7. Ride a bike
8. Go boating
9. Connect with the past
10. Plant a seed