Why letting your child embrace the natural environment boosts freedom, self confidence and mental health
In a modern world where it seems electronic screens own our attention, it is not a surprise that this disconnection from nature can form developmental problems in children growing up in this digital age.
According to research by Richard Louv (2005) in his book “The Last Child In The Woods” children spending less time outdoors has resulted in a range of behavioural issues, coined as being a “nature-deficit disorder”. This results in children having less respect for their natural surroundings, developing attention disorders, obesity, depression, loneliness, diminished creativity and even lower grades in school.
5 Benefits Of Outdoor Activities On Your Child’s Development & Happiness
-
Burn Energy & Stimulate An Inquisitive Mind: Safely exploring the bush and beaches around them exposes your child to a whole host of experiences that cannot be equalled with a digital experience. Collecting leaves, spotting wildlife and understanding how the food web works improves understanding and appreciation when learned in an environment they can experience. A safe exposure to sunlight, fresh air and physical exercise is also proven to improve mood.
-
Boost Freedom and Self Confidence: Playing in the confines of a home limits exposure to new experiences and people. Although safer, limiting your child’s discovery prevents the development of an adventurous nature and one willing to learn in a new and challenging environment. As they get older, this will adversely impact their confidence levels through impacting their ability to recognise appropriate risks and to take them to facilitate personal growth.
-
Learn About Conservation & Respect: The environment that surrounds your child and the ecosystem on a whole inadvertently determines the quality of their life and the wild animals that share this space. Developing this understanding of mutual respect and environmental care develops a deep empathy that helps to form healthy relationships throughout adult life.
-
Reduce Screen Time: TVs, iPads and the Internet on a whole have brought many benefits to a child’s education, specifically the cheap access to visually incredible resources. However, by making the world a smaller place, the internet has often made the surrounding environment an overlooked and subsequently under-explored treasure trove! Limiting screen time means your child can get “back to basics”, improving their motor skills and finding things in real life that they otherwise would do on a screen – like the sound of birdsong, the noise of shells or the smell of leaves.
What Can I Be Doing To Increase Outdoor Playing?
Here are 3 simple ways to improve outdoor adventuring and nature time with your little one:
1. Re-visit a classic and draw hopscotch on the driveway or any hard surface. This incorporates counting games and improves balance / motor skills. For those a little unsteady on their feet, use string to pin-out the game on some grass (and save on plasters!)
2. Pack some healthy snacks and head to the park for a picnic! Get older children to make their own lunch and learn the benefits of a nutritional meal
3. Set the kids off on a scavenger hunt around the garden or local park. Hide clues and riddles to help practise what they have recently learnt (for example homophones).
