The 2017 Outdoor Kansas for Kids Day is set for 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 23 at the Shawnee North Community Park nature trail. Children will hike the nature trail and join in activities such as stream testing in the creek, Kansas animal education, nature mural painting, archery, a bird scavenger hunt, animal track casting and making s’mores. There will be a prize drawing at noon.

Kansas Wildscape which promotes Outdoor Kansas for Kids recognizes that there was once a time when Kansas kids grew up outdoors, working on the family farm, chasing frogs by the pond, wandering along creeks and rivers and more. Today’s children grow up in a generation of technology, constant activities and expectations and strict boundaries set by parents and society to protect children. This can result in a shrinking sensory world. Outdoor Kansas for Kids pairs adults with kids to partner and mentor them to enjoy recreational opportunities and promote and provide active vs. sedentary lifestyles. There are more than 40 OK Kansas Kids sites across the state with more than 13,000 youth participating. The program is free and open to all children.