Make it a goal to spend 100 HOURs (or more!) outdoors this summer!
James River Basin Partnership is excited to be hosting the 100 Hours Outdoors program again this summer! Through this program children and families in southwest Missouri are encouraged to spend at least 100 hours outdoors during summer break. Take the pledge, log your hours, and upon completion receive a small prize in the mail. All who submit will be entered to win exciting prizes including outdoor gear and experiences!
Keep scrolling to learn about 100 Hours Outdoors events with various Springfield-area partners and find tips for making the most of your time outside this summer!
Take the pledge to receive the welcome packet by email and receive periodic emails about 100 Hours Outdoor events. Must register to participate, can be removed from email list at any time. For southwest Missouri residents only.
Upcoming Events
Experience the Outdoors events are JRBP-hosted under the umbrella of the 100 Hours Outdoors program. 2025 events are sponsored by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Everyone Outdoors grant. More events coming soon:
May 23 - Experience the Outdoors: Bird Watching
June 5 - Experience the Outdoors: Nature Journaling
June 25 - Experience the Outdoors: Fishing
July 11 - Experience the Outdoors: Geology
July 31 - Experience the Outdoors: Watersheds
May 14-27 - “Cat’s Colors” StoryWalk at Ash Grove City Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
May 17 - Hummingbirds of Summer with Springfield Conservation Nature Center (free)
May 17 - Jacks Fork River Overnight Paddle Trip with Outdoor Initiatives ($)
May 17 - 4th Annual Wink Mitchell Free Archery Fun Shoot at Ritter Springs Park (free)
May 17 - Dirt Day in Lafayette Park with Woodland Heights Neighborhood (free)
May 18 - Intro to Kayaking with Outdoor Initiatives ($)
May 18 - Gigs in the Garden with Springfield Sister Cities Association (free)
May 20 - Babes in the Woods: May Flowers with Springfield Conservation Nature Center (free)
May 20 - Stories in the Park at J.R. Martin Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
May 21 - Spring Homeschool Field Trip Day with Rutledge Wilson Farm Park ($)
May 23 - Experience the Outdoors: Bird Watching with James River Basin Partnership (free)
May 24 - Conservation Teens: Fishing at Chesapeake with Springfield Conservation Nature Center (free)
May 27 - Stories in the Park at J.R. Martin Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
May 28 - Adventure Days: Kayaking Skills at Lake Springfield Park with Outdoor Initiatives ($)
June 3 - Stories in the Park at J.R. Martin Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
June 5 - Experience the Outdoors: Nature Journaling with James River Basin Partnership (free)
June 4-17 - “Jabari Jumps” Story Walk at Jackson Street Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
June 4-24 - “We All Play/Kimêtawânaw” StoryWalk at Battlefield City Park with Springfield-Greene County Library (free)
June 7 - Downtown Walking Tour with the History Museum on the Square ($)
June 14 - Commercial Street Walking Tour with the History Museum on the Square ($)
June 21 - River Rescue Cleanup with JRBP (free)
Tracking
Start logging hours when your summer break begins! Track your hours in any way that is convenient for you, or use our official tracking sheet, download here. Submit hours by September 1st to be entered to win exciting prizes!
Resources
Sponsors
Participating Organizations
Programming Sponsors
Take the Pledge!
Please sign up each participating child individually.
Get outside!
Spending time outside and in nature is important for children’s development. Don’t just take our word for it, the Child Mind Institute compiled studies exposing the benefits of spending time outdoors. They list reasons nature is good for kids’ minds, including how it builds confidence, promotes creativity and imagination, gets kids moving, and reduces stress and fatigue.
“Outdoor play helps children grow socially, helping them to develop healthy ways of forming friendships, responding to physical interaction, and using their imaginations to entertain each other. It helps them solve problems, build relationships within their peer group, and gain a respect for nature.” – Katie Lockwood, MD, MEd
In the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, he writes about Nature-Deficit Disorder, addressing the lack of nature in the lives of children. “Nature-deficit disorder is not a medical condition; it is a description of the human costs of alienation from nature. This alienation damages children and shapes adults, families, and communities. There are solutions, though, and they're right in our own backyards.”
