Slow: Children at Nature Play (sign to raise awareness of connecting children to nature)

Slow: Children at Nature Play is a street sign that will be used to raise awareness about the importance of connecting children to nature. My goal is to have signs made up in order to sell them through my website. If you would like to donate to this project of mine in order to fund an initial set of signs, you can do so by clicking on the donate button below. Any help is greatly appreciated! You can find more information about my idea below.

In 2011 I came up with the idea of having a street sign that promoted getting children outside and exploring nature that was similar to the neighborhood signs that ask drivers to slow down because children are playing. “Nature play” is a common phrase in the children and nature movement. When I saw a “Slow: Children at Play” sign in my own neighborhood in Portland, OR, in my mind I inserted “Nature” into it and imagined the silhouette of a kid doing something in nature rather than a team sport or something similar. I contacted a graphic designer friend of mine (David Orr), and he designed the image of a young boy holding a salamander that is on the sign.

Patrick with the nature play sign at Marshall Park in Portland, OR

The sign can be placed in your neighborhood, at trailheads, at nature parks and centers, zoos, gardens, aquariums, schools, etc., essentially any place that children explore, play, and learn about nature (or, a place where you think that should happen!).

Sample photographs of the sign in use can be viewed on Flickr, here. I also have images on my Facebook page for the sign, here.

This is a project of mine that is currently in development, so if you think you would be interested in ordering a sign when I get to that point, please email me at darwinsbulldog@gmail.com and let me know.

Image © Michael D. Barton & David Orr. Please do not reproduce without permission.