A group of girls admiring the water while taking a pause from a hike.
No Child Left Inside®

No Child Left Inside®

Launched in 2006, No Child Left Inside® is a promise to introduce children to the wonder of nature – for their own health and well-being, for the future of environmental conservation, and for the preservation of the beauty, character and communities of the great State of Connecticut.

Today’s children have become disconnected from nature – or more prophetically as author Richard Louv writes – are suffering from "nature deficit disorder." Instead of spending endless hours outside riding bikes and climbing trees, they are inside playing video games, surfing the web, watching videos, texting and watching reels. The No Child Left Inside® initiative provides an opportunity for children and their families to unearth the vast opportunities that Connecticut’s State Parks and Forests have to offer.

 

Take the No Child Left Inside® Pledge

Please take the No Child Left Inside® pledge:

I pledge to defend the right of all children and every family to play in a safe outdoor environment. I will encourage and support opportunities for them to exercise their right by:

  • Splashing in clean water and breathing clean air
  • Digging and planting seeds in healthy soil and watching what grows
  • Climbing a tree and rolling down a grassy hill
  • Skipping a stone across a pond and learning to swim
  • Following a trail and camping under the stars
  • Catching a fish, listening to songbirds and watching an eagle in flight
  • Discovering wildlife in their backyard
  • Soaking in the beauty of a sunrise and sunset
  • Finding a sense of place and wonder in this ecosystem we call Earth
  • Becoming part of the next generation of environmental stewards.

Continue scrolling to learn more about the current programs that we offer.  

Families enjoying a hike at Dinosaur State Park
Families in the Park Program

Families in the Parks Program

The Great Park Pursuit Family Adventure Program was the first program offered through No Child Left Inside®.   Since then, the program has evolved in a changing world, expanding to different areas of the state, reaching more families and youth; which has enabled the extension of the season and locations of activities, events and programs.   Multiple bureaus and divisions within the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) now participate in order to provide youth and families with a variety of outdoor experiences. The program actively engages diverse communities to ensure that opportunities are offered to all.  All Connecticut youth and their families can take advantage of the wide variety of FREE, fun and educational outdoor recreational opportunities offered by this program, such as Boating, Camping, Family Days in the Park, Fishing, Hiking, Nature Centers, Historic Building and Museums, StoryWalk® Programs, a Wildlife Day and much more.  We encourage families to enjoy time together; reconnect with the outdoors, nature and each other. All families are welcome.

We encourage families to enjoy as many of these free activities, events and programs between the months of February and November each year.  

Families looking for an additional challenge can also participate in our annual Sky's the Limit Hiking Challenge.  

NCLI's Families in the Park Program gets our families outside exploring, playing, learning, and reading outdoors in our Connecticut State Parks and Forests, or inside our nature centers and museums.

Visit the CT State Parks Calendar of Events, DEEP State Parks Facebook page and DEEP State Parks Instagram page for current program offerings. Check back regularly as events are added throughout the year.  

The NCLI 2026 Kick-off Event was the Annual Winter Festival Event in partnership with Fish with CARE (Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education) and the City of Torrington.  The Winter Festival Event took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026 from 10 am to 3 pm at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington, CT.  The event was a success with over 1,600 people in attendance.  Save the Date for the 2027 Winter Festival Event scheduled for Saturday February 6, 2027 (weather date of Sunday February 7, 2027) at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington, CT. 

April

Earth Day Nature Festival on Sunday, April 26th at Matthies Grove in Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted, CT from 12:30-5:30 p.m.

May

  • NCLI Families in the Parks Program 2026 Spring Kick-off Event-Free Family Fishing Day with Fish with CARE at Black Rock State Park in Thomaston, CT on Saturday May 9, 2026 from 10 am to 3 pm  
  • NCLI Families in the Parks Program 2026 -Family Day in the Park (Kids to Parks Day recognized Nationally) on May 16, 2026 at Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury, CT from 10 am to 2 pm (biking, hiking/walking, nature center, outdoor field games, activities under the pavilion, picnicking, fishing) (NCLI Families in the Parks Program Spring Festival)
  • NCLI Families in the Parks Program 2026-DEEP Nature Centers and Museums Weekend-Memorial Day Weekend (locations and details to follow) 

June

  • CT Trails Day Weekend June 6 and 7, 2026 (trails and hikes across the State of CT). NCLI to partner on this event and will offer a hike/walk/program for families on Saturday June 6, 2026 and a Sky's the Limit Hiking and Walking Challenge program on Sunday June 7, 2026 (locations and details to follow).
  • NCLI Families in the Parks Program in partnership with DEEP Boating-Boating Day Event at Mansfield Hollow State Park in Mansfield, CT on June 20, 2026 from 10 am to 2 pm.  

July

NCLI Families in the Parks Program in partnership with DEEP Boating-Boating Day Event at Lake Waramaug State Park in Kent, CT on Saturday July 18, 2026 from 12 to 4 pm

August

September

October/November

NCLI Fall Festival in partnership with Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT (date yet to be determined) 
 

NCLI mascot toy squirrels holding NCLI logo banner
Events