Take a Child Outside Week

Roanoke Island Festival Park is excited to partner with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for Take a Child Outside Week (September 24-30). Inspired by Richard Louv’s book “Last Child in the Woods,” Take A Child Outside week was founded to help connect children with nature. Going outside has many benefits, both physically and mentally. If you’re looking for activities to celebrate this week, visit Festival Park. Our site offers many exciting outdoor venues and attractions to increase your child’s physical activity, spark their imagination and encourage them to learn while they play. If you’re not on the Outer Banks this week, visit the partner map to discover outdoor sites and activities in your area. By celebrating opportunities for children to have free play outside, highlighting places to explore the outdoors, and providing simple activities anyone can do, we hope to increase the number of children experiencing the natural world.

Outdoor Activities at the Park

• Explore the fossil pit
• Take a walk around American Indian Town and learn about Algonquin Indian life on Roanoke Island
• Enjoy the sights, sounds and history when your board the Elizabeth II. Our representative 16th century sailing vessel offers incredible views of the waterfront and gives your child a chance to imagine what life was like during the Roanoke Island voyages
• Walk around the Settlement Site and try your hand at various trades. Learn first-hand about life as a soldier woodworking and blacksmithing from our historic interpreters
• Walk or ride your bike along the park’s walking trails
• Grab your fishing pole and fishing from the t-dock on the pavilion grounds
• Launch a kayak from the boardwalk piers and paddle around Shallowbag Bay
• Bring your binoculars and search for birds and other wildlife on the boardwalk

Here are just a few of the benefits of encouraging outdoor play time with your child. 

Benefits of Going Outside

• Supports creativity and problem solving
• Improves academic performance
• Improves social relations
• Improves self-discipline
• Improves eyesight
• Improves nutrition
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Increases physical activity
• Enhances cognitive abilities
• Increases connection with nature
• Reduces Attention Deficit (ADD) symptoms

To learn more about Take a Child Outside Week (TACO), visit their website for outdoor activities, participating locations and additional rescources.