Children Need Nature

The message...."Get your children outside to play" has been circulating widely for the past several years. Much of the attention children and nature are getting these day is due largely to the national best-selling book "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv in which he coins the term Nature Deficit Disorder. A growing body of research (compiled at The Children & Nature Network and available on-line) all show that today's children are spending significantly less time among nature than older generations did as children. 

A survey completed by the Outdoor Foundation found that only 59% of youth 6-24 years old participated in a list of 40 outdoor recreation activities during an entire years time! This percentage continues to decline each year. 

There are of course plenty of valid reasons why children's contacts with nature are declining. Urban areas have been increasing- decreasing natural spaces and many parents don't live in areas where they feel their children will be safe exploring on their own. As a result, many children's activities tend to be organized and adult led such as team sports or lessons. With the increase in both the access and variety of childhood media options, it is very easy to spend free time looking at a screen rather than looking out of the car window at the sights passing by. 

Why be concerned about children and nature? 

Will it really make a difference for the kids? 

According to the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Community Engagement children who spend more time in natural environments have reduced stress, increased physical health, and display increased creativity and increased concentration. 

The biophilia hypothesis by Edward Wilson, suggests there is a distinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. Multiple studies support this hypothesis showing improved feelings of well-being in subjects after exposure to natural environments. 

Having free-play outside provides children:

• Less physical boundaries 
• Decreased adult interference
• More meaningful learning experiences
• Increased independence

Set up safety guidelines ahead of time

Safety of children is always a concern so be sure to state any rules or boundaries ahead of time to enable children to fully engage and direct their own play within the safety of those boundaries. Keep in mind the environment to determine how much- or little- space you can safely give the kids. 

Allow children to direct their own play

No need to organize a structured activity, dictate what to look for or engage in a geology lesson. If children are interested in the names of the things they find or see, they will most likely ask you so try to avoid rattling off the names of the flora and fauna in the area ;) Hang back and watch the wonder unfold. Children will take charge of their play and you can hang nearby and explore at your leisure too.

What children learn in nature will "stick"

Spending time in nature also exposes children to vast number of new sensory experiences. Multisensory experiences increase the number, complexity, and efficiency of neural connections in the brain. This is why engaging multiple senses in learning activities has become a goal for educators. Additionally, when play is child directed it becomes more meaningful and the fact that it occurs in context also increases its meaning. So while we can talk about damns or even visit a damn, when a child builds a damn through trial and error with some flowing water and materials on-hand, they will walk away with a more complete understanding of a damn. And....children with positive learning experiences will approach school with more positive attitudes. 

Improve your sense of self with a trip outdoors

Spending time in natural settings also allows children more opportunities to take calculated risks, such as climbing a tree, or leaping over a brook with out soaking their shoes. Children use their bodies differently than they would indoors or even in structured outdoor settings. Walking up a hill or on a string of granite boulders is much different than walking along a graded path or sidewalk. Being outdoors allows children more choices, more opportunities and more independence. 

Creating time to expose children to nature can be a challenge for many families depending upon where they live. The Children's Nature Network has tool kits to help families and friends create nature clubs for families.This allows adults to share in the planning, transportation and supervision of kids in outdoor settings providing an increase in the number of opportunities and access children have to experience nature.

Make time to connect with nature...

wonders await