Climbing a tree, fording a stream, stalking bugs on a summer afternoon. Kids and nature fit together in a way that's entirely, well, natural. So it's surprising to discover
that a lot of kids aren't making that connection. In fact, statistics show that children ages 3 to 12 spend just 1-1/2 percent of their free time (about 30 minutes each week) in unstructured outdoor play. And that's a shame, especially because a growing body of research shows that exposing kids to nature yields all manner of health benefits, both physical and mental.
"When kids play outside, they're more physically active and vigorous in their movements," says Nancy Wells, Ph.D., an environmental psychologist at Cornell University. They're also likely to burn more calories, notes Rae Pica, author of "A Running Start:
How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child." Additionally, says Pica, "Outside light triggers the synthesis of vitamin D and stimulates the pineal gland, the part of the brain that helps regulate the biological clock and is vital to the
immune system."
The psychological benefits may be even more significant. In a series of recent studies, Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that contact with nature improved attention spans and self-control in kids, including those diagnosed with ADHD. There's also evidence that spending time outside may boost your child's academic performance.
"In schools that have outdoor classrooms or focus on outdoor education, testing improves across the board," says Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder." And, he says, kids who spend time in nature also tend to play more creatively and handle stress more effectively. No one is absolutely sure why, says Kuo, director of the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University
of Illinois and a mom, but it appears that nature "fosters a kind of gentle absorption -- almost a meditative quality -- that seems to be deeply rejuvenating."
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Get Outside!
Simple strategies for helping your family connect with the great outdoors
Climbing a tree, fording a stream, stalking bugs on a summer afternoon. Kids and nature fit together in a way that's entirely, well, natural. So it's surprising to discover
that a lot of kids aren't making that connection. In fact, statistics show that children ages 3 to 12 spend just 1-1/2 percent of their free time (about 30 minutes each week) in unstructured outdoor play. And that's a shame, especially because a growing body of research shows that exposing kids to nature yields all manner of health benefits, both physical and mental.
"When kids play outside, they're more physically active and vigorous in their movements," says Nancy Wells, Ph.D., an environmental psychologist at Cornell University. They're also likely to burn more calories, notes Rae Pica, author of "A Running Start:
How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child." Additionally, says Pica, "Outside light triggers the synthesis of vitamin D and stimulates the pineal gland, the part of the brain that helps regulate the biological clock and is vital to the
immune system."
The psychological benefits may be even more significant. In a series of recent studies, Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that contact with nature improved attention spans and self-control in kids, including those diagnosed with ADHD. There's also evidence that spending time outside may boost your child's academic performance.
"In schools that have outdoor classrooms or focus on outdoor education, testing improves across the board," says Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder." And, he says, kids who spend time in nature also tend to play more creatively and handle stress more effectively. No one is absolutely sure why, says Kuo, director of the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University
of Illinois and a mom, but it appears that nature "fosters a kind of gentle absorption -- almost a meditative quality -- that seems to be deeply rejuvenating."
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