Five Simple Ways to Reconnect Your Children with Nature

Children don't play the way they used to and they are suffering for it. Some say, nature, or lack of it, is to blame. There is a growing body of research to support that nature is critical to the development of children in every major way -- intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. Take it away -- and there are consequences. Many children's advocates attribute modern mental and physical ailments such as ADHD, low self-esteem, stress and childhood obesity to this nature deficit. Simply put, nature is a fundamental part of the developmental health of children and today's kids aren't getting the access they need to thrive.

So what can we do? Putting natural playgrounds in schools is a step in the right direction. These are outdoor play spaces where children can play with and among natural elements such as sand, water and living plants. In the recent past, children did not need manufactured play spaces because they rode their bikes and walked to school, they played in backyards and in and around the neighborhood. Today, this is not a option for most kids, certainly not kids growing up in urban environments. Children growing up today also spend 50 hours a week in school or daycare. Therefore, we must encourage them to love nature and the outdoors because it is not an organic part of their lives.

Natural Playgrounds help with the nature necessity but they are not enough. Experts believe children need to be surrounded by nature daily in order to reap its benefits. Here are some ideas, pulled from various child development sources, to bring nature into the lives of young children.

• Bring natural materials into the home. Things like pine cones, twigs, dirt and stones. These natural toys have everything educators want in terms of texture, shape and function. Kids can count them, sort them, measure and play make believe with them.

• Create an outdoor play area on a roof, a balcony or a small patio. Fill it in with rocks, plants and accessorize it with buckets of dirt and water. Set up a chair in a corner where kids can sit and read.

• Put a plant outside your stoop and give your kids the responsibility to care for it. This simple project teaches them about the impact they have on their surroundings.

• Schedule weekend excursions to the park, the beach, the lake, the woods and just let them wander and soak in natural stimulation, not the kind that comes from media.

• Take the time to go for a simple walk around the block with your kids. Play eye spy and talk to them about plants, trees, and bugs. Answer their questions. One of the key reasons nature is beneficial to kids is because of the sense of discovery it inspires.

Comments

[Ariella Rogge]

As a mom, an associate director of a summer camp, and an outdoor educator--I really cannot emphasize the importance, and reality, of the "nature deficit disorder" Margaret spoke of in her initial post.

If our kids are not experiencing nature through free, unstructured play --then what will they learn about the preservation and stewardship of these wild lands?

Our kids ARE in danger; in danger of losing their connection to the outdoors, to each other, to their own sense of self, and to the earth. Organic playgrounds are a remedy. So are summer camps, outdoor education programs, local parks/playgrounds. And parents who commit to not being afraid ourselves: of the dirt, of the wildness, of the risks.

Otherwise, the trend will continue and this generation will a) spend the majority of their time indoors and b) will have a SHORTER life expectancy than their parents.

So where IS the greatest danger? "Outdoors, in the woods and fields? Or on the couch in front of the TV? A blanket wrapped too tightly has its own consequences. One is that we may end up teaching our children, in the same breath, that life is too risky but also not real—that there is medical (or if that fails, a legal) remedy for every mistake.” (Richard Louv)

Our planet is steadily revealing the reality of many thoughtless environmental mistakes, we cannot sit by and let our children become even more complacent because they simply have never learned how to care.

[outofdoors]

There's a really great and non-corpo resource for natural playgrounds at the playscapes blog. It's interesting how many ways social and psychological researches are starting to realize we depend on nature for quality of life issues like health and wellness above and beyond simply not being poisoned by our environment. I suspect that landscape as therapy and preventative medicine will be more and more at the forefront of research in the days to come.

[Thermodynamics]

An aquarium and a few guppies is a window onto the world of water.

[mbookey]

My husband and I don't want our kids stuck inside all the time, relegated to weekend "outdoor outings," so we continually have to remind ourselves to care less about our "things" ...and let the outdoors indoors. Yes, it's easier to keep the Design Within Reach rug spotless when your kid is on the Wii all afternoon. But...how sad for the kid. We trashed the nice rug (actually, gave it away on Craigslist). Our next rug is coming from the carpet remnants store so we never worry about the kids chasing their toy boats down the street gutters during a rainfall and coming back home sopping wet. :-)

[SonofLiberty1]

We've lost touch with the Universe above that is a part of our environment.
Most folks..and they pass this on to their children...don't bother to look up other than
to see if it's raining.

Even though most of us live under Light Polluted skies (Google LIGHT POLLUTION to learn about it)
there are still events in the sky that you can see...

Meteor Showers for example...if not your backyard..locate an Astronomy Club in your area as they usually have a Dark Sky site...join up or ask a good place for viewing.

Lunar Eclipses can be seen very easily and they are naked eye events...and a pair of binoculars makes it better.

Of course, then there is always the Moon and again you don't need a telescope to view it binoculars will do...watch the phases with your kids.

And here's something you can see tonight..if it's clear...

THE BASKETBALL PLAYER IN THE MOON.....

Featured here in the March 9, 2008 Edition of UNIVERSE TODAY...

http://www.universetoday.com/2009/03/09/the-basketball-player-in-the-moon-catch-it-tonight/

[KillTheMessenger]

"In the recent past, children did not need manufactured play spaces because they rode their bikes and walked to school, they played in backyards and in and around the neighborhood."

One would have to ask why that is not an option? I did it. There are plenty of kids doing it every day. The main barrier between a kid and autonomy (which is very different from nature) is the soccer Mom. Get her out of the way and kids can enjoy learning to interact with the environment, even if that is an urban one.

[SonofLiberty1]

One reason is because there are more creeps out there:(

[Margaret Ryan - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for your comment. I understand your point. Kids needs to be outside and have unstructured play. My point is in these times it is not simple as telling your kids to go outside and play and ring a bell when it is time for dinner. That is the way I grew up but letting my two young girls out by themselves in the city is not a safe option. These are just some ideas to bring nature into the home everyday - because as I understand it, the more of it the better.

[JoshuaLudd]

I know that this article was meant to talk about what we can do right now with the way things currently are. I would like to take the discussion further and ask what it is we need to change. What do we need to change to actually preserve nature, not just parks or trees or a few plants, but actual nature so that we can actually have something there to connect with?... even though nature is worth preserving in and of itself, nevermind what we might get out of it. The answer time and again seems to be that we need to get rid of at least some of our industrialism, which will, of course, change our lives radically. Don't get me wrong.. I'd love to be able to keep computers, the internet, etc... around, but it doesn't really seem that is viable.

www.greenanarchy.org