Powder Valley to host St. Louis premier of Mother Nature's Child June 24

KIRKWOOD, Mo -- The Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center will host the St. Louis-area debut of a film selected to be part of the recent 2011 Environmental Film Festival in Washington D.C. The screening kicks off Powder Valley’s “Get Your Child Outside” weekend June 24-25.

The St. Louis premier of “Mother Nature’s Child” will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 24, at the Nature Center. Director and Co-Producer Camilla Rockwell will introduce the screening and remain for a brief reception afterwards. The film runs 57 minutes.

“Mother Nature’s Child” is a documentary that explores how exposure to nature and outdoor activities affects a child during his or her developing years. It addresses questions such as:

• Why do parents and teachers resist letting children go outdoors in today’s world?
• Can unstructured play also be a form of learning?
• Is risktaking a natural part of a child’s development?
• How might the lack of these things be impacting today’s children?

The film follows the experiences of several groups of children and features insightful interviews with noted authorities such as Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods."

Powder Valley's “Get Your Child Outside” weekend continues on Saturday, June 25, with the workshop “Where You Can Go and What You Can Do” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors will discover local opportunities to get outdoors with their families. A number of outdoor organizations will be represented, and there will be ongoing activities to demonstrate how easy it can be to incorporate nature and the outdoors into a child’s world—none of which require expensive or high-tech equipment.

Additional showings of “Mother Nature’s Child” will be running each hour during the event.

“Get Your Child Outside” weekend ties in with Governor Jay Nixon’s Children In Nature Challenge, a program designed to recognize communities and families that create opportunities for children to get outside and discover nature firsthand.

Visit www.childreninnature.mo.gov to learn more about the Governor’s challenge.

All activities during “Get Your Child Outside” weekend are free and open to the public. The Friday night premier screening of “Mother Nature’s Child” requires advanced registration by calling 314-301-1500.

Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center is located at 11715 Cragwold Road, near the intersection of I-44 and I-270 in Kirkwood.

“Get Your Child Outside Weekend” is part of Powder Valley’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. The Nature Center will continue to feature special events each month this year to commemorate the anniversary. Powder Valley first opened its doors to the public in October 1991.