“Why don’t you and your sister go outside and play?”

A familiar refrain heard growing up, often expressed by my mom when things were getting too rowdy inside, we usually took her up on the suggestion.

But these days, that may be changing.

It’s well-known that kids today typically don’t enjoy the same amount of time spent outdoors as previous generations.  Recent studies suggest that modern children go outside half as much as their parents did, and that they would rather read, do chores or even do homework than play outside!

This fact has been widely lamented, not only because of the lack of physical activity that often accompanies indoor activities, but also because kids’ understanding of their natural surroundings can suffer as a result.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em

Instead of rallying against the technology that often distracts kids from the great outdoors, The Forest Academy leverages it, providing students with forest and conservation education in an interesting way.  Using colorful and engaging environments, this interactive site makes learning about the environment fun – even addictive.

Users begin by creating a unique owl avatar, then naming it to further personalize their player.  And because The Forest Academy is meant to appeal to elementary-aged children, a variety of animated forests landscapes, complete with whimsical illustrations, await them.  Guided by Owen the Owl, forestry for kids is taught via clickable fun facts embedded within a map of the woods.

Interactive quizzes sprinkled throughout The Forest Academy test a player’s knowledge, with correct answers helping earn merit badges.  By learning about everything from tree rings to seasonal changes, the badges are collected in a user’s digital notebook, with the goal of earning all of them in order to successfully graduate with a Forest Academy Diploma.

Take it outside

Of course the intent of The Forest Academy is to get kids excited about the real forest, taking their newfound knowledge of conservation to the world around them.  That’s why the site includes a host of other forest resources, including experiments children can complete themselves. For example, my six year old enjoyed exploring our back yard, searching for real-life examples of simple vs. compound leaves after finishing the Learning about Leaves worksheet.

With so much information focused on explaining forestry for kids, it’s no wonder The Forest Academy was highlighted by Two Sides North America as an ideal example of teacher resources related to paper, forest products and the environment.

With over a million page views since its inception, the site continues its mission to educate the next generation about conservation and the importance of responsible forestry – while hopefully also encouraging a few more kids to “go outside and play.”

For more information on The Forest Academy, view this piece from the Domtar Newsroom, then begin your own adventure at www.theforestacademy.com.