Our Mission
Launched in 2006, No Child Left Inside® is a promise to introduce children to the wonder of nature – for their own health and well-being, for the future of environmental conservation, and for the preservation of the beauty, character and communities of the great State of Connecticut.
Today’s children have become disconnected from nature – or more prophetically as author Richard Louv writes – are suffering from "nature deficit disorder." Instead of spending endless hours outside riding bikes and climbing tress – i.e. being kids – they are playing video games, surfing the web, watching TV and texting. The No Child Left Inside® initiative provides the necessary opportunity for children to unplug from technology and unearth the vast opportunities that Connecticut’s State Parks and Forests have to offer.
We welcome you to take the No Child Left Inside® pledge:
I pledge to defend the right of all children and every family to play in a safe outdoor environment. I will encourage and support opportunities for them to exercise their right by:
• Splashing in clean water and breathing clean air
• Digging and planting seeds in healthy soil and watching what grows
• Climbing a tree and rolling down a grassy hill
• Skipping a stone across a pond and learning to swim
• Following a trail and camping under the stars
• Catching a fish, listening to songbirds and watching an eagle in flight
• Discovering wildlife in their backyard
• Soaking in the beauty of a sunrise and sunset
• Finding a sense of place and wonder in this ecosystem we call Earth
• Becoming part of the next generation of environmental stewards.