Mary Kay Huhne
St. Joseph
How bad has it gotten in Minnesota when we need a state program to pay kids to go outside and play? That’s the purpose behind the Department of Natural Resources’ No Child Left Inside Program, which awarded $1.3 million to 153 organizations in 2022. Nominations are currently open for another round of grants in 2023.
This program is another sad example of Minnesotans ceding responsibility to the government. Playing outside used to be handled by families. Most kids used to play outside voluntarily. The grant program was inspired by Gov. Tim Walz’s Children’s Cabinet and its Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights which states that every child is entitled to experience outdoor recreational activities and discover the natural environment regardless of where they live, learn or play outdoors in a safe, welcoming and culturally affirming place.
Many of the 153 grants went to school districts for outdoor programming they were probably already providing to students. An ice fishing grant for $45,000 going to the Big Fish and Fry High School Ice Fishing League, and another $6,000 going to White Bear Lake schools for their Ice Fishing Club Field Day, where presumably some kids walked to White Bear Lake and went ice fishing obviously something that could not have happened without state government funding.
Grants were also given for environmental education since children have the right to “protect and preserve our environment for future generations.” St. Raphael Catholic School in Springfield received $2,548 for environmental field trips.
So next time a governor or legislator tells you we can’t cut taxes, schools are underfunded or people are suffering from a lack of proper health care, show them this article. Clearly, we have money to burn if there is a state grant program to encourage children to play outside!
