Nature and Health Laboratory

We are so excited about the launch of the new Nature and Health Center!

We hear more from parents and kids about limiting screens, boredom, and the benefit of stumbling outside for nature contact.
🌿🤍💙

Follow @hopefulparent for more conscious parenting tips! This girl shares her experience of boredom, when she has nothing to do and her mom says she can’t use the iPad. What does she do? Nothing. She is bored. Have your kids ever been bored before? Most parents now are always entertaining their kids, with screens if they are busy with something and can’t play with their child. But this can take away a child’s opportunity to be bored. After being bored and doing nothing, her imagination comes alive and she is flooded with ideas for drawings, poems, and stories. Kids are so creative and having a little boredom can inspire them to create from their own mind! When is the last time your kids were bored, and how did you respond? Comment below to share your experience. Video: @tinymicstory and @miracles_of_miraya - thank you for sharing this very insightful perspective on boredom, and why it’s a good thing. #consciousparenting #consciousparentingtools #consciousparentingtips #consciousparent #gentleparenting #gentleparentingtips #gentleparentingtools #parent #parentingtips #parents #hopefulparenthood #hopefulparents #hopefulparent #raisingchildrenyoulike

👏🌱❤️ These high school YELP'ers continue to work hard to connect other youth to nature in Jacksonville!

🌿🌎 Congratulations to Heba A., Lindsay J., Oscar S., Elle W., Sophie L., and Haley P.! 🌿🌎

We’re thrilled to announce that these outstanding students from Stanton College Preparatory School, The Bolles School, and Oakleaf High School have been accepted into the Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP) at the University of North Florida. 🎉

YELP is a year-long, pre-college program designed to develop high school youth into environmental leaders. As part of this merit-based award program, they’ll engage in approximately 100 hours of environmental leadership, science, and community service. 🌿📚

👏 Let’s cheer them on as they embark on this exciting journey! 🌟



Learn more about YELP on IERE's website: https://www.unf.edu/environment/yelp.html 🌐

Please register to join Texas Children in Nature's webinar with our very own Dr. Erin Largo-Wight discussing practical, health-promoting nature recommendations for kids!

Nature Contact and Health Recommendations Teacher Workshop and Health Webinar with Erin Largo-Wight, University of North Florida Professor, Department of Public Health PhD and Director, Institute of Environmental Research & Education (IERE)

New (ahead of press) publication on bringing nature inside from UNF Nature and Health Lab! 🌼

Indoor Nature Contact: The Efficacy of a Nature Contact Intervention Inside the Home on Perceived Stress And Mood Among Women | Ecopsychology Past findings suggest that spending time outdoors facilitates recovery from mental fatigue and reduces stress. Indoor nature contact, or bringing elements of the outdoors inside, has also been shown to reduce stress and promote health in the workplace and clinical settings. This experimental study e...

👏🌱❤️ so proud of everyone involved in this program! And we’re excited to present later today on the research and science behind the nature and health connection. We’ll discuss research-based theories, past findings, and future research ideas.

🌿🌎 Congratulations to Heba A., Lindsay J., Oscar S., Elle W., Sophie L., and Haley P.! 🌿🌎

We’re thrilled to announce that these outstanding students from Stanton College Preparatory School, The Bolles School, and Oakleaf High School have been accepted into the Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP) at the University of North Florida. 🎉

YELP is a year-long, pre-college program designed to develop high school youth into environmental leaders. As part of this merit-based award program, they’ll engage in approximately 100 hours of environmental leadership, science, and community service. 🌿📚

👏 Let’s cheer them on as they embark on this exciting journey! 🌟



Learn more about YELP on IERE's website: https://www.unf.edu/environment/yelp.html 🌐

Wow!!! The first ever Marshfest 5K race was a huge hit! And the kids fun run/challenge course was a blast!
Thank you to all for coming out to support!

Marshfest 5K is SATURDAY (Nov 16) at 8am. Check out the pint glasses for the top finishers in each age group! Run fast!

Marshfest 5K t-shirts! Register today! Discounted entry fee through Saturday

5K Map