Menu

Impact Story

Kids in Parks

Growing Up Active: TRACK Trails for Tomorrow’s Health

Spending time outdoors can improve physical, mental and social health — but only 21% of South Carolina children ages 6-17 were active for the recommended 60 minutes a day, even in spite of South Carolina's gorgeous natural beauty.

About the Organization

The Blue Ridge Parkways' Kids in Parks (KIP) program inspires children to build healthy futures in nature by transforming South Carolina's outdoor space. They work with local park partners to create TRACK trails — interactive paths that promote exercise and wellness for kids and families. In 2022, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation provided KIP with a four-year grant to expand the program. Families can hike the trails for free and record their outdoor time at any location on KIP's site and app.

Project Goals

KIP is aiming to blaze new trails in the fight against diabetes, paving the way for future generations to thrive. They want to lay the groundwork for lifelong health and preempt health problems such as diabetes.

  • All 46 South Carolina counties will have TRACK trails.
  • An estimated 2,000 new users will visit each TRACK Trail site each year, which will result in more than 800,000 kids and families spending 24 million minutes exercising outdoors. 
  • An estimated 50,000 patients will be prescribed outdoor recreation and TRACK Trails visits

More than 800,000 kids and families will spend time exercising outdoors by the end of 2026.

Results

By introducing children to exercise early in life, and by creating spaces that allow for physical activity and community engagement, KIP proactively encourages healthy habits in children.

Since 2022, KIP has:

  • Opened 71 TRACK Trails across 31 counties
  • recorded 140,000 miles adventured
  • Logged 69,000 hours spent outdoors
  • Developed a web app and upgraded the KIP website

Through its TRACK Rx initiative, KIP has also collaborated with healthcare providers to prescribe outdoor time to children, with special focus given to those in underserved communities.