Outdoor Education (For Kids) Thrives in the Southern Black Hills
by Bradley Block

                Allowing a child to experience the natural world is not just a nice thing to do; it is a vital act of allowing for environmental awareness. Nonetheless, it has been said that many kids (of today) are fearful of the outdoors, simply because they do not explore its surroundings. They not only fear what is around the bend of a river, they actually avoid getting wet all together.
            As usual, I am the oddball interpreter and relish in the notion that not all kids are created equal. Yes, there are youngsters that prefer to play video games or watch DVDs on a daily basis. On the other hand, I witness a tremendous number of kids each summer that hunger for the outdoors. From my informal observations, children have a basic need to make connections with their natural surroundings. They seem to thrive in its beauty, mystery, and timelessness.
            On a typical summer day in Custer State Park, the interpretive staff hands out well over 50 Junior Naturalist booklets to interested kids between the ages of 7-12. Believe it or not, many of these kids request the booklets on their own. Draped in a vest or light jacket, covered with embroidered patches from across the country, the juvenile nature enthusiasts have no problem approaching a visitor center desk and learning from park staff. Call it a hobby, or categorize their desire as a passion for the outdoors, it makes no difference to me. From my vantage point, there are kids in this world that truly have a strong devotion toward the environment.
            For this reason, the Southern Black Hills Region offers several kid-oriented programs throughout the summer months. The most popular activity is the Junior Naturalist Program at Custer State Park and Angostura Recreation Area. The program offers kids the chance to work on the requirements as time permits within their schedules. For instance, some participants only have a day or two in the Black Hills, while local kids can spend the entire summer picking and choosing their preferred activities. In the end, the kids are treated with some amazing educational opportunities and are awarded accordingly.
            At both locations, if participants complete a series of pages within the activity booklet, they earn a certificate. If the kids successfully complete all of the pages within the booklet, they earn an embossed seal. If the required number of naturalist-led activities are completed, the participants earn an embroidered patch. Most importantly, there is no specific order for the completion list. Some kids work mainly toward earning the patch, while others strive to accomplish the entire program. Our main goal is to get kids to learn about the Southern Black Hills Region and discover its unique qualities that make Custer and Angostura treasured resources.
            As a parent, I could not help but notice that we were missing another audience member with many families ... the younger brothers and sisters. Because of this, Custer State Park stepped out in front to create a PUPS Program for kids ages 4-6. A smaller activity booklet is made available, and parents are encouraged to help their kids complete the necessary requirements. When done, the participants earn a triangular patch ... slightly smaller than the Junior Naturalist patch, but still very worthwhile. In just three years, the park has awarded over 1000 patches.
            Angostura Recreation Area has taken the lead to offer summer nature day camps for interested kids and their families. In an effort to attract more visitors during the work week, the camps are offered on Wednesdays. For the past two years, the camps have averaged around 30 participants.
            What is a Nature Day Camp? The camp is designed as an outdoor learning center for kids, exposing them to the hidden secrets of Angostura. In the past, kids have waded through prairie grass looking for insects; they have searched for signs of wildlife along shorelines; and, they have crafted constellation models for star gazing. The camps are fun, educational, and motivate the kids to look beyond the natural scenery of a site.
            Being located in a tourism area, the Southern Black Hills Region has taken the stance that programs for families and kids are a high priority. This does not mean that programs are “thrown together” to simply create an inventory of opportunities. Programs are constructed using the blue prints of thematic interpretation. In essence, the overall goal for every program and activity is to create an awareness within the public - perhaps provoking the audience members to look outside their original mindset.
            For programs toward kids, environmental awareness is not merely to peak their attention with facts and figures, nor is environmental awareness meant to wow children with striking features. These are attributes that come naturally through well-planned programming. However, the Southern Black Hills Region considers this topic much deeper. Environmental awareness is becoming more important for our children’s future ... the future of our culture ... and indeed, the future of all life.

Bradley Block is the chief of interpretation at Custer State Park.

1) For a complete listing of the summer programs and activities at Custer State Park or Angostura Recreation Area, visit www.SDparks.info. Click on Find a Park, and select the Southern Black Hills Region.

2) We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. Aldo Leopold