Come out and play! Four reasons why exposure to nature is essential for the well-being of our children
1. TIME OUTDOORS HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
There is a growing body of evidence indicating that direct experiences with nature are essential for a child’s physical and emotional health. Studies have also shown that exposure to nature can increase a child’s resistance to stress and depression.
Although many sports are played outdoors, for the purposes of this article, when I say outdoor time I am not referring to organized sports. I mean lonely, random, or unstructured time outdoors.
The health benefits are numerous. Playing outside does not increase the chance of getting sick. Kids don’t get colds from cold weather, they get colds from germs. According to the EPA, indoor air pollution is our nation’s number one environmental health concern; two to ten times worse than outdoor air pollution. Excessive indoor play has also been linked to childhood obesity. Outdoor play promotes physical stamina and strength.
The physical and social activity that children enjoy in nature differs from organized sports. The time in nature is more open, no time restrictions apply. Children make up the rules. Consequently, they learn critical group skills, as they must learn to work together and discover the value of teamwork. These are important skills for building lifelong communities.
A New York-based study followed 133 people from childhood to adulthood. The study found that adulthood competence stemmed from three main factors in the early years: 1. Rich sensory experience both inside and out 2. Freedom to explore with few restrictions 3. Parents who were available and acted as advisors when their son asked questions.
Most people in the world today do not see nature as a remedy for emotional difficulties. We rarely see an ad for natural therapy, although we see many ads for antidepressants or behavioral medications. Many parenting books offer advice on how to manage challenging behaviors. However, it is a rare advice manual that recommends spending time in the natural world as one of its suggestions. While medication and behavioral therapy certainly have their benefits, the need for such remedies can be heightened by a child’s disconnect with nature. While it’s not a cure for major depression, time spent in nature can ease the daily pressures that can lead to depression.
If parents could perceive a child’s time in nature not only as free time but also as an investment in the health of our children, we would be doing them a great favor.
2. TIME IN THE OUTDOORS CAN HELP PREVENT SENSORY OVERLOAD AND EXCESSIVE DEPENDENCE ON THE MATERIAL WORLD.
Internet is here to stay and can be a great tool. However, its excessive use has been linked to higher levels of depression and loneliness.
There is an overwhelming amount of sensory information that is forced on our children. Consequently, many children develop a kind of “know it all” mentality. If you can’t google it, it doesn’t matter. Consequently, children miss out on the endless possibilities that exist outside of the wired world. In fact, the serenity of the outside world can provide a sense of quiet wonder, something even the most sophisticated computer cannot offer.
It is easy in our society for children to become attached to “things.” It is important to take the time to tell our children what makes us happy outside of the material world. Tell them why experiences like gardening, taking a long walk, and watching the sunrise make us feel better. Avoid sending the message that all the things that make us happy must come from a store.
3. TIME OUTDOORS BOOSTS CREATIVITY, CONFIDENCE AND FOCUS; POTENTIALLY ALLEVIATES SYMPTOMS OF ATTENTION AND LEARNING DISORDERS
Studies indicate that children engage in more creative forms of play on grassy areas than on manufactured playgrounds. Natural settings encourage fantasy and make believe. Boys and girls also tend to play more equally and democratically outdoors. There is a sense of wonder that leads children to ask more questions.
Furthermore, ideas and imagination are not limited by what is man-made, but can be expanded to whatever is naturally available outside. Grass fields, trees, sticks, and rocks can be turned into just about anything imaginable. The creative possibilities are endless.
Author Vera John-Steiner in her well-known book, “Notebooks of the Mind,” investigated how creative people think by looking at the backgrounds of some of the world’s most creative musicians, painters, scientists, writers, and builders, both living and deceased. John-Steiner found that the inventiveness and imagination of almost everyone she studied had its roots in her early experiences of open play.
A natural environment is much more complex than any playing field. It offers rules and risks and uses all the senses. Outdoor challenge programs have shown a direct link to confidence levels long after the experience is over.
Have you ever noticed how a child who may have difficulty concentrating, concentrating, or remembering in a classroom can effortlessly perform these skills during open play outside? The focus is more natural on the outside. Skills developed outdoors can easily spill over into the home or classroom. Many studies suggest that exposure to nature can also reduce ADHD symptoms and improve learning skills.
4. TIME OUTDOORS CAN HELP OUR CHILDREN APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE PLANET DESPITE THE CONFUSED AND WORRYING MESSAGES FROM THE MEDIA.
Television, although informative, can give a distorted view of the “dangers” of Mother Nature. As a result, children may enjoy less interaction with friends and neighbors. Less interaction with neighbors only creates isolation. Our intuitions and “hunches,” as well as our cooperative abilities, are often rooted in our interactions with friends and neighbors.
The danger from strangers and the fear of wildlife attacks have led many parents to prefer indoor play dates or visits to fast food playgrounds. Although there is, of course, a real risk, the media has played a lot on the fear of danger from strangers and attacks from wildlife. Children are especially vulnerable to media reports. They see a report of an attack or kidnapping and assume it’s happening everywhere. Kids don’t think globally (and by the way it can be portrayed in the media, many adults don’t either). Author Richard Louv in his book, “Last Child in the Woods” describes the case of a high school teacher who expressed concern about him after taking his students on a camping trip. Apparently, several of the students had trouble enjoying the experience because they were terrified that what happened in “The Blair Witch Project” would happen to them.
When I walk outdoors or go hiking with my children, instead of telling them “be careful”, I prefer to say “pay attention”. Paying attention encourages them to be aware with all their senses and avoids inducing an irrational fear of “what’s out there.”
Children may also resist unstructured excursions outside because they feel it is “boring.” Again, this may be related to media programming that tends to focus on natural disasters. While it is sometimes very educational, it can also be extreme. Consequently, unless children see a bear tearing apart a calf, they feel that they are not eating enough, it is boring. Be careful to balance media exposure with a positive real life experience.
While it’s important to teach our children environmental awareness, if they don’t experience direct positive interaction with the outdoors, there’s a risk of associating anything to do with nature with fear and destruction rather than joy and wonder. Too much emphasis on “saving the planet”, global warming and environmental abuse can cause young people to see the planet as nothing more than a scientific experiment or a place to be avoided because of all the bad things that happen on it. Finding the right balance between environmental awareness and positive hands-on experience is essential.
THINGS YOU CAN DO
Before you start packing up your family and outdoor gear and plan a trip to the Grand Canyon or give up hope because you have no intention of going to the Grand Canyon, keep in mind that the mysteries of a ravine at the end of your trail , or a special tree in your own backyard, are just as, if not more, rewarding to a young child than the well-known wonders of the earth.
Parents do not need to “teach” their children to inspire an appreciation of nature. Observing a simple ant market can be amazingly arousing. Skipping stones in a stream or picking up stones to count worms after a rain is in itself an education.
Hiking is a wonderful vehicle for experiencing the natural world. However, a parent’s walk can become a child’s forced march. Take care to present the output instead of pressing it. Let it be a mutual adventure. “Come outside with me” or “Let’s go for a hike” may not sound as exciting, but “Let’s find rocks to build a fort” or “Let’s see who can climb the biggest rock” offer much more possibilities.
Gardening is another great way to introduce children to what the soil can do. Children are often more likely to eat things they have grown themselves that they would not otherwise eat.
Many parents express concern when they see their children “doing nothing.” Alone time can be quite rewarding as children get to know themselves, their strengths, and their desires on a deeper level. Avoid telling children that they shouldn’t daydream or look out the window from time to time. How else can they truly appreciate the magnificence of nature without the occasional idleness?
For single parents, there are many nature organizations and online groups that encourage single parent involvement.
Make a list with your child of what he really likes to do. The answers might surprise you. Many kids will say it’s time outside for organized sports that they really love. Re-evaluate your schedule to accommodate what you really like to do.
Get input from schools, nature organizations, and friends. Above all, get outside!