When he joined Kate Ebner on the April 29 episode of Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life, Daniel outlined a passionate argument for the link between children's outdoor exploration and play, their mental and physical well-being, and their capacity to take risks and make critical decisions later in life. 

Daniel also expanded our definition of geography: "Geography is anything that happens somewhere- it can be an imagined place in book, a real place in forest, the sunny spot on your bed where your cat likes to sleep during the day, or even where a microorganism lives on your skin. Geography doesn't need to be on a gigantic scale." 

Daniel's hope is that an expanded understanding of geography will encourage more schools to spark the interest of kids to go outside explore their world.such as investigating a missing cat in the neighborhood or exploring your backyard from a bug's point of view. 

What is Daniel's vision?  A world in which all children have access to play and opportunities to explore the outdoors. He sees a future where schools are required to give students opportunities to benefit from learning in nature, and adults encourage children to explore. 

Daniel offered advice about how to cultivate more curious, exploratory future generations:  "If you're a parent, leave your door open. Create conditions and opportunities for children to ask questions and be available to answer their questions."

To hear more of Kate and Daniel's fascinating and horizon-expanding conversation, click here or download the podcast.