por Brianne Keith and Luis Villa

Latino Outdoors and PLUM LANDING, a PBS KIDS digital environmental science project produced by educational media producer WGBH in Boston, have been longtime partners in the outdoor movement.

From the get-go, Latino Outdoors and PLUM have found many ways to “cross-pollinate” over their shared missions to get kids and adults outdoors, connected to their environment, and to foster an inclusive identity around the outdoor movement. Both organizations recognize that the outdoors provide learning opportunities that are difficult to replicate inside of four walls.

This is why when PLUM was looking for hosts for a new set of videos on exploring the outdoors, PLUM went right to Latino Outdoors’ founder, José González. Jose hosts four fun videos that show parents how to find nature in their neighborhood, how to make the most of their time outside with their kids (and make it a science learning experience, too!), and get inspired to get outside. Building on Jose’s seasoned experience, these videos show how exploring the outdoors is easy; it’s beneficial to your whole health—mind and body—and can bring the family together.

PLUM LANDING is unique in that it is one of the only places online where kids can explore and share ideas about the environment, and find inspiration to go outdoors. The site is chock-full of resources—from videos, activities, games, Apps, online drawing tools, badging missions and more—with the goal of getting kids 6 to 9-years-old and their families excited about the environment, along with making time outside a fun learning experience.  Recently, kids at Fuente Nueva Charter School (a Spanish immersion school in Arcata, CA) had an opportunity for fun and learning outdoors. Together with a team from Latino Outdoors, the kids used PLUM’s educational toolkit “Wild Wind” to learn about wind speed, direction, and some of the ways humans can affect it.

For more, visit pbskids.org/plumlanding.