It s Play Outside Day Many of us don t get out into nature much. We re too busy, plugged in to screens and rushing through our busy lives. But nature is essential to our health and wellbeing and to the health of our planet. Nature restores and fuels our health, creativity, intelligence and wellbeing. It is a remedy for obesity, depression, stress and attention- deficit disorders. Connecting with nature makes us healthier and happier. Time spent in nature is the most cost-effective and powerful way to counteract the burnout and sort of depression that we feel when we sit in front of the computer all day Richard Louv We need to reclaim nature for the health of our planet too. Nature is our life support system. It underpins our communities, our economy and our livelihoods. We need clean air and healthy rivers, yet our politicians seem determined to exploit and destroy nature. When nature is diminished, so are we. On Sunday 4 May, it s Play Outside Day. Put on some comfortable shoes and be part of something big! Congratulations Host! Hosting a Play Outside Day event in nature near you is easy, and the sign up is simple too. Whether you re a novice nature explorer or an experienced wild thing, here are some tips to get you started. Find, plan or manage your event à http://action.org.au/host Grab some graphics to share on social media and posters and flyers to print out à www.action.org.au/play-outside Where should I host my event? Nature is near and far what matters it that you go outside into it. Host your event in the forest or the mountains, at the beach or in the bush, at a local park or reserve, the creek down the road you could even go camping in your own backyard. 2
You could also host an event at a place you love that s under threat like the Great Barrier Reef, a Tasmanian forest, Stradbroke Island, an alpine area vulnerable to logging, mining or cattle grazing. Invite your local community to celebrate that special place and get a real sense of its significance. Take photographs or invite local media, and send the pictures and articles to your MP. Who should I invite to my event? Big or small, open or private, all gatherings are welcome! You could host a picnic for friends and family in the bush, take your playgroup to a local park, convoy with your colleagues to a beach or invite your local community and ACF members to experience a place you love. Ask your school class, chess club or neighbours. You can also host a community event. If you make your event "ʺshow in public search"ʺ we will promote it to ACF members near you. Get some graphics, posters and flyers to promote your event here: www.action.org.au/play- outside I can t do Sunday 4 May, can I host an event later? Of course! Host a Play Outside gathering whenever and as often as you like. We should all get out into nature every day. Organising your event Step 1 > CHOOSE A PLACE AND TIME Choose a place you love the bush, the beach, the mountains or forest, your local park or backyard. Be specific about the address and where you ll meet. Is the spot marked on Google Maps? If not, give directions such as nearby streets, intersections or landmarks. Step 2 > CREATE YOUR ONLINE EVENT LISTING Register your event online at www.action.org.au/host Why? We will send you resources, reminders, and report backs. If you create a public event, we will promote it to ACF communities. We can also add up our overall impact. 3
Once you create an event, you ll be listed as the event host. Now you can promote it, see who has registered and communicate with them. You ll need to create a password to login to manage your event. It s easy and takes just a few seconds. Make sure you fill in your postal address so we can send you our special Play Outside Day kit. Step 3 > INVITE GUESTS When creating your event, you can choose show in public search, so other people in your community can see your event listing. We can also promote your gathering to ACF members near you. The more the merrier! Step 4 > GET THE WORD OUT Promote your event online on social media, in local coffee shops or other places that allow flyers or event postings. Social media Use social media: Invite your Facebook friends to RSVP by posting your event link. Social media shareables: Download and share our social media shareable buttons and graphics. Let your Twitter followers know you re going wild before and during your event. Use the hashtag #PlayOutsideDay Posters and flyers Put up posters or flyers to promote your event. Download our editable pdf posters and flyers from www.action.org.au/play- outside Open the file with Adobe Reader. Type your text into the poster fields like your event s location, time and your contact details. You don t need to change the size of the poster and flyers they re designed to be printed at the size in the filename. Something s not working? If you re having trouble saving your poster, check you re using the latest version of Adobe. Ask us > action@acfonline.org.au 4
Step 5 > SEND A REMINDER Set an email reminder to be sent automatically to guests. You can also manage all the details of your event in event settings. If you need to change the details of your event, simply login, edit and send a notification to guests. Step 6 > GET YOUR PLAY OUTSIDE DAY KIT We ll send you a Play Outside Day kit in the last week of April. The kit is full of amazing ideas and activities to get you into nature, such as A to Z go wild cards you can even use these as a basis for your event. Step 7 > GO WILD AND PLAY OUTSIDE! Connecting with nature doesn t necessarily need structure or rules. Go wild, get lost and see where nature takes you. Have a picnic, take a hike or kick a ball. Climb a tree or build a nest. Go cloudspotting, snorkelling or stargazing. Ramble through the forest or possum up a tree. Take a magnifying glass through your urban jungle or collect sounds in your ears. Or just be in nature. Things to bring Your wild self Nature is nature, rain, hail or shine, so bring wet weather gear and sunscreen Comfortable, robust shoes Water stay hydrated! A snack, depending on your event A camera Take lots of photos and send them to action@acfonline.org.au and we will compile them in clever ways and share them back with you. QUESTIONS? Sound simple? Great. Like more assistance? Anything we missed? Is something on the website misbehaving? Email action@acfonline.org.au or call Linh on 03 9345 1201. That s it! Have an amazing Play Outside Day. We can t wait to see what you get up to. 5