This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Salt Lake City has launched its SLC Kids Explore program that is encouraging local youth and their parents to spend at least 30 minutes a day outdoors connecting with nature for a 30-day period.

This is part of a new national movement for outdoor education aimed at addressing the growing trend of increasing screen time and decreasing outdoor play time for students.

New local program is aimed at connecting kids to nature, creating powerful new earning experiences and instilling a sense of stewardship for the outdoors.

Salt Lake City created a directory of free nature activities at http://www.goseekdiscover.com. The site offers suggestions on different ways families can get active while having fun and exploring Salt Lake City.

The site includes links to outdoor activity lists in the Salt Lake City area.

According to a news release, an important element of SLC Kids Explore involves laying the groundwork through education and outdoor experiences to cultivate the next generation of local environmental stewards.

The idea is that the more contact children have with nature, the more they might be interested throughout their lives in outdoor activities.

"Our children benefit enormously from spending more time in the outdoors," said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker last week along with Tracy Aviary executive director Tim Brown. "Our goal for the SLC Kids Explore project is to create and instill a passion and reverence for nature in our kids through outdoor education. Salt Lake City is home to one of the most beautiful natural settings in the country and it's important we pass on our appreciation and love of nature and sense of stewardship to our children."