California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights
Examples of Implementation
Numerous agencies have brought the California Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights to life with their programs and activities Select the links below to see examples of how others are using the bill of rights.
Angel Island Sate Park
The Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights Day event was held at Angel Island State Park, July, 2013. The state park partnered with the National Maritime Museum last year, as well as the Traditional Small Crafts Association, its concessionaire, who loaned bikes and helmets for one of the Rights, “ride a bike.” Northface brought a tent to help demonstrate “Camp Under the Stars.” Says Interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee, "We were also le to have a group from the Summer Learning Program attend. We are always looking for ways to grow the attendance -- we have capacity for more; but so far we have had 60-100 kids per day -- and develop the program."
Interpreters Teri Pope and and Ben Fenkell collaborated on a program brochure. Each letter of the rights list spells out "I Love Parks."
Contact: Casey.Lee@parks.ca.gov
California Bureau of Land Management
The California Bureau of Land Management (BLM) implements the California Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights (COBR) in several ways including: displaying COBR marketing materials in all BLM field offices across the state, providing marketing materials to local schools, environmental education, and outdoor recreation programs that partner with the BLM, attaching the COBR logo to many BLM youth-focused publications, and implementing the COBR 'rights' in BLM youth programming.
Community Campout 2016 - Cameron Park Community Services District
The community campout invites families to experience the great outdoors in a fun, safe, and stress-free environment. During the campout participants enjoyed time dedicated to a magic show, swimming, arts and crafts (made sail boats to float), fishing, walking trail around the lake, storytelling around the campfire, s’mores and stargazing. Participants set-up camp on Saturday afternoon and were able to participate in any of the scheduled activities and were then treated to a BBQ dinner. After dinner there were a number of things to do before bed time. Families then wake up to coffee and a “campinental” breakfast featuring pancakes and sausage patties. Once breakfast concludes, families can hang out at the lake before they pack up camp and call it a day.
Lessons Learned: Kids are introduced to setting up and taking down a camp, they are able to explore the lake through the trails, they have the opportunity to fish, swim, and camp beneath the stars in a safe and secure atmosphere.
tThis was our 5th Annual Community Campout and the plan is to continue to grow the event next year and beyond.
Partners: PG&E
Contact: Aris Chambers, Recreation Coordinator, 530-677-2231
DreamPower Horsemanship
At risk-teens or young adults with developmental delays are invited to go horse camping at Henry Coe SP or Coffey Ranch where they can sleep overnight in tents, fish, hike, trail ride, and enjoy an overnight hike. All of this while living in a community and sharing the work in the Equine Journey Wilderness Program.
Contact: Martha McNeil, LMFT, at 408-686-0535.
Healthy Kids Outdoor Challenge - East Bay Regional Park District
EBRPD has developed a guidebook and teacher's curriculum, based on the COBOR in partnership with the California Roundtable, Regional Parks Foundation, US Forest Service, Kaiser Permanente, Alameda County Office of Education, California Department of Education, Department of Health Care Services, and Let's Move.
Teachers are very interested in taking their students outdoors; the booklet and teacher’s guide has been very well received. However, half the teachers are unsure and uninformed about how to take their students outdoors, as well as to a park. Third graders still have a vast imagination regarding what nature, parks, activity, and open space means although "bugs" is a common response to the question “What does nature mean”?
Follow up will include reviewing student pre and post questionnaires to evaluate learning about outdoors, parks, and healthy activities. EBRPD will utilize this information to develop future programs. Future & next steps include widespread distribution of the guidebook to schools and organizations. We are also considering educator trainings.
Contact: Nancy Kaiser, Interpretive Services Manager at (510) 544-2526 or email nkaiser@ebparks.org.
Jackson Heights Elementary School
Area agencies shared information and activities related to the Outdoor Bill of Rights with about 120 Jackson Heights Elementary School students and families in Red Bluff, CA on May 8, 2013.
Participating organizations included Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lassen National Forest, Sacramento River Discovery Center, Tehama County 4-H, Red Bluff Parks and Recreation, Ida Adobe State Historic Park, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, and the Center for Nutrition and Activity.
The school's fifth and sixth grade students served as hosts for the evening and engaged younger children with the outdoor-themed story reading by the "campfire."
Prizes were donated by the Lassen Association, Goodin's Rock Garden, Red Bluff Sporting Goods and individual donors. Giveaways such as posters were donated by the Department of Agriculture and the Tehama County Farm Bureau.
The school hopes to make this an annual event and involve other district schools.
Contact: Trixine Pearl, Speech/Language Specialist, Jackson Heights Elementary School.
Swim Lessons 2015 - Cameron Park Community Services District
Cameron Park offers a summer swim lesson program for ages 6 months and up. Group lessons consist of 25 minutes of lessons each day Monday-Thursday over eight days, with class sizes not to exceed 6 per class. Private lessons (one-on-one) last four days for 25 minutes. Participants are taught the basics of water safety, water adjustments, and stroke progression. Classes progress from parent participation to stroke refinement. Lessons are taught by certified lifeguards.
Lessons Learned/Hints: Kids and parents are taught how to be safe around water. As the participants progress through lessons, they learn stroke refinement and how to breathe and remain safe in the water.
Group SwimLessons have become very popular and we will continue to offer lessons next year.
Partners: PG&E, Wells Fargo, Marshall Medical, and Cameron Park Community Foundation
Contact: Tina Helm, Recreation Supervisor, 530-677-2231
SMORES Nature Education Program
The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (LA County DPR) received funding from CA State Parks' Habitat Conservation Fund grant program for the Start Mentoring Outgoing Resourceful Environmental Stewards (SMORES) nature education program at four project sites: 1) Castaic Lake Recreation Area; 2) Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area; 3) Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area; and 4) Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.
These four project sites were chosen for their broad geographic representation of the County of Los Angeles and for their rich and diverse wildlife habitats. There is a very significant need for programs such as the SMORES program, which will address the growing challenge of connecting children to nature in a world that is increasingly technological.
Overpopulation, urban development, and a weak economy are three of the main reasons why there is a deficiency in nature education opportunities; the SMORES program will address this deficiency and make a positive impact on the participants and the natural world. The SMORES program will help youth make personal connections to natural areas within the County of Los Angeles that are undisturbed and rich with biodiversity.
Go BoatingSMORES provided a wide variety of outdoor wildlife area activities and skills workshops including camping, hiking and trail safety, fishing, learning about native flora and fauna, and much more. A primary goal of the SMORES program is to provide science and nature education services to children by providing opportunities that are not available in a regular classroom setting.
The SMORES program is designed to plant a seed that will spark interest in youth by personally engaging them in hands‐on activities that will instill awareness, promote an appreciation for wildlife habitats, and help youth develop positive habits that will promote environmental stewardship for future generations.