(Denver, Colo.) – September 6, 2022 - Generation Wild, a movement created by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to reconnect kids with nature by increasing the amount of time they spend outside in unstructured play, today announced that they will attempt to beat the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the longest hopscotch game. The event will take place on Sunday, September 18 at 10:00 a.m. at Chatfield State Park in Littleton. To beat the record, Generation Wild is building a continuous hopscotch covering approximately 4.5 miles – more than the current 4.2-mile record. The course will remain up for public use in the weeks following. Facebook event page.
“Our 99 Days Outdoors campaign proves that playing outside can be easy – and on September 18th, we’re going back to the basics with good, old-fashioned hopscotch,” said GOCO Executive Director GOCO Jackie Miller. “As our biggest activation yet, this hopscotch course will bring people together outdoors, which is a prize in itself, so let’s see if we can break a world record while we’re at it!”
In the week leading up to the record attempt on September 18, volunteers will paint the 4.5-mile hopscotch course, which if executed to meet Guinness World Records guidelines, will beat the record for longest hopscotch game, which is currently 4.2 miles set by students at Georgia Institute of Technology.
During the world record attempt, two tribute “hoppers” will complete the full 4.5-mile to verify that the course is, in fact, a functioning hopscotch. The hoppers will end at the world’s longest hopscotch celebration, located near the state park’s Swim Beach area, where Guinness World Records will announce if Generation Wild has claimed the title for the world record’s longest hopscotch.
Wilder, Generation Wild’s spokescreature, will be onsite as well as a Guinness World Records adjudicator who will declare if the world record has been achieved. The first 500 people to arrive will receive free entry into the park. Attendees will enjoy games, entertainment and swag giveaways.
Generation Wild’s 99 Days Outdoors campaign aims to inspire parents across Colorado to get their kids outdoors by providing accessible, achievable ideas for spending time outside. Earlier this summer, Wilder departed for an epic 99-day adventure across the state and is making appearances in Colorado communities to showcase different ways to spend time outdoors.
Generation Wild was created by GOCO to reconnect kids with nature by increasing the amount of time they spend outside in unstructured play – the kind of play that used to be way more common. The program is an integrated, statewide effort supported by a statewide network of non-profit, public and private partner organizations. In 12 Colorado communities, diverse, locally based Generation Wild coalitions are creating equitable access to the outdoors with new places to play, outdoor programs, and pathways to leadership opportunities and jobs in the outdoors.
For more information, follow Generation Wild on Facebook and Instagram. #GenerationWild #99DaysOutdoors
About Generation Wild
Generation Wild was created by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to reconnect kids with nature by increasing the amount of time they spend outside in unstructured play – the kind of play that used to be way more common. The program is an integrated, statewide effort supported by a statewide network of non-profit, public and private partner organizations. In 12 Colorado communities, diverse, locally based Generation Wild coalitions are creating equitable access to the outdoors with new places to play, outdoor programs, and pathways to leadership opportunities and jobs in the outdoors. Follow Generation Wild on Facebook and Instagram, and learn more at GenerationWild.com.
About Great Outdoors Colorado
Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a Constitutional Amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 5,500 projects in urban and rural areas in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. Visit GOCO.org for more information.