Families Invited To Great Park Pursuit

HARTFORD, Conn. -- With the official arrival of spring, the state is preparing to get kids away from TV and computer screens and outside this summer.

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Gina McCarthy, along with Gov. Jodi Rell, is preparing for the state's annual Great Park Pursuit.

The day is part of the No Child Left Inside program and is in its third year. Last year, 750 families participated in the program.

"We are going to do more every year and top anything we did in prior years," said McCarthy.

The Great Park Pursuit brings families on a tour of state parks and forests. The families then follow clues to guess which park to visit as they compete for outdoor adventure prizes.

"You have the most wonderful experiences," said Robyn Spicer, whose family participated last year. "It teaches your kids stuff that isn't taught in school … but stuff they need to know because they live here."

The registration for the program goes from April 1 to April 25. The program will kick off on Saturday, May 10 at Hammonasset Beach State Park and end on June 22.

For more information, or to register for the program, visit the No Child Left Inside Web site