Arlington Children & Nature Network


Arlington CANN is an alliance of agencies organizations, individuals and businesses dedicated to connecting Arlington children to nature

  1. by facilitating the use of outdoor spaces in Arlington by children of all ages;
  2. by fostering increased opportunities and time for unstructured play;
  3. by working to make more safe, secure, accessible and appealing places for outdoor play; and
  4. by raising awareness in our community about the consequences of "nature deficit disorder."

Winter Nature Celebration: Open the Door to Nature
Saturday, February 11, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (snow date February 18). Presented by Chick-fil-A at the Ballston Common Mall Food Court, 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. FREE. It’s not too cold outside to enjoy nature and the outdoors! Join the Arlington Children and Nature Network and take part in some great activities to learn about nature and how to enjoy our urban environment, even in winter! The event will include crafts, exhibits, a kid-friendly walk of the Ballston neighborhood led by WalkArlington, and refreshments including hot beverages courtesy of Chick-fil-A. In the event of inclement weather, we will follow Arlington Public Schools announcements for weekend activities (www.apsva.us). If school activities are canceled on February 11, we will postpone the event until February 18. For more information or to RSVP, email office@arlingtonenvironment.org or call 703-228-6427.

Thank you to all the Arlington CANN supports who have signed on and are helping us in our second annual campaign to educate the community about the importance of reconnecting children to nature. If you haven't joined, please sign on as a supporter of the Arlington Children and Nature Network by completing our survey. (Arlington CANN sends out information related to the network, outdoor opportunities and related activities to our supporters about once a month.)

Join Arlington CANN:
Join our email list and learn about events, resources, and training sessions related to connecting children to nature. Arlington CANN sends out information related to the network, outdoor opportunities and related activities to our supporters about once a month. Become a supporter today!

CANN School Contest Congratulations to our 2011 CANN school contest! On May 11, the Arlington Children and Nature Network recognized the winners of their 2011 school contest: Nottingham Elementary, Kenmore Middle School, and Wakefield High School. These schools were recognized for spreading the word about the importance of reconnecting children to nature, critical to children’s health and well-being. Nottingham Elementary School won a nature party for the entire school featuring animals and naturalists from Gulf Branch Nature Center, Long Branch Nature Center, and Potomac Overlook Regional Park. Kenmore Middle School won a biking trip for 20 students courtesy of BikeArlington.