Michele Whiteaker is a travel writer and full-time parent who writes a popular blog dedicated to opportunities for play in the public parks of Orange County, California. Her blog gets several thousand visitors each week—and she attracts new readers through a dedicated social media outreach. We asked Whiteaker to share her perspective on the value of play and how the blogging platform can enhance parks’ public outreach.
What ignited your love for parks? And, given the many activities available in your area, why do you keep your focus on Orange County’s public parks?
My goal is promoting play. I'm convinced of the developmental importance of play. Public parks are free or low-cost entertainment options that provide a bridge for families to connect to nature and the outdoors. Parks were not optional when my son was a toddler. I had to get out of the house or risk losing my sanity. In my experience, caregivers are already sleep-deprived and/or short on time, so it's tough to come up with the energy to explore somewhere new. My blog takes the guesswork out of the "Where should we go today?" question.
How have readers used your blog to get the most out of their local parks?
The most important element of a park blog is photographs and/or video. My readers want to see the parks before they go and browse the playground map on their own time. A blog makes it easy to share links via email, Facebook, or other social media sites. Beyond the ease of use, blogging allows me to start a conversation and keep it going day after day. The exchange of information is astounding. I tell them about new park finds and they tell me when something changes or they see something I missed. It's community service teamwork keeping both sides engaged.
What advice would you offer park leaders seeking to expand their public outreach?
My biggest advice would be to reach out to mothers of kids ages 1-5 and find out what they want to know about parks. Lists are very popular: sand-free parks, parks that are enclosed, parks within walking distance to farmer's markets, parks with nature centers, etc. It's important to include lots and lots of photos. Also, don't underestimate the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Most governmental websites have page ID numbers in the URL rather than park names. It makes it hard to find individual parks through a typical search engine.