Why outdoor time is so important at Sunnyside! In addition to large muscle development preceding other early development...Read on from an article in Scholastic Parent & Child.... Whether you grew up in a suburb, on a farm, or in a big city, you probably spent a lot of time playing outside, getting dirty, and coming home happy. Maybe you watched ants making anthills in your backyard, climbed trees in the park, or simply lay in the grass contemplating the drifting clouds. Unfortunately, young children today do not have as many direct experiences with nature, and its taking a toll. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, maintains that this disconnect from the natural world is producing ill effects in both mind and body. But hes optimistic that well-meaning, forward-thinking parents and educators can close the kid-nature gap. We should not think of a childs experience in nature as an extracurricular activity, says Louv. It should be thought of as vital to childrens health and development. Why do children need a meaningful relationship with nature? Research suggests that a connection to nature is biologically innate; as humans, we have an affinity for the natural world. When children spend most of their time indoors, they miss out. Problems associated with alienation from nature include familiar maladies: depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder. Kids who have direct access to nature are better learners. Exposure to nature has been shown to reduce stress and increase attention spans. When a child is out in nature, all the senses get activated. He is immersed in something bigger than himself, rather than focusing narrowly on one thing, such as a computer screen. Hes seeing, hearing, touching, even tasting. Out in nature, a childs brain has the chance to rejuvenate, so the next time he has to focus and pay attention, perhaps in school, hell do better.
Posted on: Tue, 06 May 2014 15:47:01 +0000
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