May 2010

We all know that our kids tend to enjoy themselves outdoors. In a yard, forest, playground, or park, there are elements to discover that just can't be found inside a building. Much of what kids do inside is fairly controlled, non-interactive, passive and often sedentary. Legos only fit with other Legos, and the TV requires little or no input from viewers.

When a child goes outdoors, endless possibilities for play are available. Children have the opportunity outside to use their creativity and imagination in open-ended play. They can create worlds of magic and adventure, discover fascinating aspects of nature and animals, and be physically active and engaged.

I have great childhood memories of floating Barbies on rafts down the ditch in front of my house after a good hard rain. In fact, I have many great memories in which the backdrop is the outdoors. My siblings and I played outside every chance we got regardless of the weather or limited space.

Unfortunately, over the past two decades there has been a dramatic decrease in the frequency of outdoor play among children. The loss of natural areas due to development is a significant factor contributing to this shift. The dwindling number of family farms has meant that children of farmers are no longer outside playing, doing chores or exploring the land. Add to that, children's love of and addiction to technology, and often they end up inside watching television, surfing the Internet, texting friends, or playing Guitar Hero.

Most schools have decreased or eliminated recess times and as a result students are indoors more. Parents - out of fear - are less insistent about getting their children to spend more time outdoors and out of their sight. Adults have also become more building-bound and are not modeling an outdoor lifestyle for their children. All of this indoor time has led to a lack of appreciation for nature and the wonder that is found in the woods, near a pond or river, in a neighborhood park or even in a backyard.

The result of this trend is what Richard Louv has coined "Nature Deficit Disorder." The importance of letting children explore nature, and the backlash of being deprived of these experiences is at the center of Louv's book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. In it, he explains that being in nature contributes significantly to a child's psychological, physical, and spiritual growth.

Other benefits include lower stress levels, better concentration, enhanced creativity, and cognitive development. Louv also discusses research that has shown that exposure to the outdoors can minimize some of the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder. He cites studies showing that even having a view of natural items such as trees, plants, and the sky can help children and adults alike have better focus and be more productive.

Preschool children who played daily in a natural surrounding featuring rocks, trees, and uneven terrain acquired more advanced motor coordination skills including balance and agility, according to "Benefits of Nature for Children" published by Children, Youth and Environments Center for Research and Design, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (2007).

Spending outdoor time does not strictly mean going deep into the woods or an open meadow. In general, the more natural an environment is, the more numerous are its benefits. However, even time spent walking and playing in one's local neighborhood can give a child a stronger sense of community and pride in the place where they live.

Now that the weather is nice and even when it isn't, you have no excuse for not getting your child outside more. Camping, gardening, hiking, flying a kite, or visiting a park are all ways to incorporate nature into your child's life.

The following local organizations offer opportunities for you and your child to spend more time outside:

• P.A.C.E (Pueblo Active Community Environments) www.activepueblo.net
• The Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo: www.natureandraptor.org or (719) 549-2414
• Mountain Park Environmental Center at the Pueblo Mountain Park: (719) 485-4444 or www.hikeandlearn.org
• Y.M.C.A of Pueblo's Camp Jackson: www.puebloymca.org or (719) 543-5151

Four Easy Actions We Can Take

(Excerpted from Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv)

• • · Invite native flora and fauna into your life. Maintain a birdbath. Replace part of your lawn with native plants. Build a bat house. For backyard suggestions, plus links to information about attracting wildlife to apartments and townhouses, see the National Audubon Society's "Invitation to a Healthy Yard" at www.audobonathome.org/yard. Make your yard a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Certified Wildlife Habitat; see www.nwf.org/backyard

• • · Help your child discover a hidden universe. Find a scrap board and place it on bare dirt. Come back in a day or two, lift the board, and see how many species have found shelter there. Identify these creatures with the help of a field guide. Return to this universe once a month, lift the board and discover who's new.

• • · Engage grandparents. They often have more free time, or at least more flexibility, than parents do. And most grandparents can remember when playing outside in nature was considered normal and expected of children. They'll want to pass that heritage on to their descendants.
• •  Invent your own nature game. One mother's suggestion: "We help our kids pay attention during longer hikes by playing 'Find 10 Critters'- mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, snails, other creatures. Finding a critter can also mean discovering footprints, mole holes, and other signs that an animal has passed by or lives there."