Nature Deficit Disorder - how do you make sure that your kids get enough "green" time

[Sarahkka]

As the title says, there is some really compelling research that links all sorts of behaviour and health issues with the fact that kids today don't spend enough time outdoors playing in green spaces. So time on the soccer field isn't good enough - they also need sufficient time in natural spaces for free play and exploration.
We are right beside the Rocky Mountains and I work sporadically as a nature guide, so I try to get Simon out hiking at least once a week. We also go out to the city parks that are natural habitat.
What do you do for nature time? Any fun places or games to get your kids in touch with nature?

 

[Tiff]

There isn't alot of "nature" where I am. Although I do try to get outside with Claire daily for walks in the Cuddlywrap (like a Moby Wrap) or her stroller. It's nice as Ontario has gone pesticide free this year so I'm not too worried about her being on the grass.

 

[mommyof3co]

We go on walks around the neighborhood alot, sometimes I give them a little box and they collect stuff as we go then we come home and look it up and find out what type of leave it is and things like that. They also love going to the park so we do that alot. Before we moved from Colorado we would go to a different parks all the time, Colorado has tons of parks and green spaces so we would go to different ones all the time for them to explore

 

[lauraperrysan]

we go walking along some of the south coastal walks....but not tooo close to the edge lol

 

[Shifter]

I take Jack into the garden to look at the flowers and trees, when he is older we'll go up to the moors to go climbing etc.

 

[Rachel_C]

I'm a teeny bit worried about this. Until I got married, I lived in the north of England where it was very green, despite living in the suburbs of a big-ish city. You only had to walk through some trees behind the garden to find a huge field of cows and we spent a lot of time in the Lake District as children.

Now I live in London, where my husband has always lived. I know there are nice parks around but it's not the same as being surrounded all the time. I intend to get the kids out and about as much as possible, but it's worrying to hear my husband say that when he was about 10, he got told off for wasting a roll of camera film taking photos of cows because he'd never seen a real one before! We went to the Lake District together once and he found every little hill and field and tree amazing (thank God for digital cameras now!)... whereas I'd grown up around it and didn't find it anything out of the ordinary. I know that an appreciation of nature like he has is good and I realise now that I took it for granted, but I don't want my kids to see nature as something unusual.

 

[amelia222]

We live right on the edge of a big park that is part forest with lots of trails where we walk the dog most days. Also, I have a few friends with farms so we can go out to visit and see cows, horses and chickens.

 

[Samantha675]

While it is too hot right now to be out much, every evening just about I take Brenn outside and he 'waters' the grass and flowerbeds. It is super cute and he enjoys it. Once it cools down again we will go to the park, and down to the lake for walks. There is so much to do in Austin outside, I love it, just too bad that it is over 100 almost every day right now. I did find a little pool perfect for LOs yesterday quite near us. It goes from 9 inches deep to 2 feet, and has a huge tree over the pool, so it is not horribly hot and sunny. Brenn loved it when we went yesterday.

 

[Stiina]

Thank goodness we're farmers...I couldn't imagine having to take my kids somewhere to see cows, trees...!!

Go out there and get your kids DIRTY!!!

 

[elm]

What age did the research look at? Elliot goes on lots of long walks with his Dad in the Mei Tai and he spends time in the garden too when it's not raining.

I'll take him to more places once he's got more of an appreciation of where he is, he just loves being outside at the moment!

x

 

[marley2580]

Um, does the back garden count? Lol

 

[Sarahkka]

the best resource on this is a book called Last Child in the Woods. I've only read parts of it yet. Mum has read it and told me that they linked the nature deficit disorder with ADD/ADHD, behavioural problems and a whole bunch of other health concerns. Elm, I think they were loking at elementary age kids? I have to go hunt out the book and get better sources for you.
It's just common sense to me that kids need fresh air and sunshine and free play in a green space. The back garden totally counts, especially if there is a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers - or differnt levels of plants that form a sort of habitat.
The reason that I said that the soccer field doesn't count is that (while great exercise) it's a big wide manmade lawn. It's not a natural environment. A field or meadow is very different - it's a real ecosystem. A back garden can be an ecosystem (as long as it's not just pavement, obviously!).
Simon and I got our green time today by watching ants in our grass! Simon tried to eat them. He is so one with nature, that child!

 

[ryder]

I usually take Jasmine out in the morning or late afternoon to do gardening and yard stuff... I usually just let her loose on the grass, she helps me pull weeds haha...

We also spend alot of time at the barn where my horse is...

In general im just a really outdoorsy person, so I think it works out well for us! Im hoping Jasmine will take an interest in riding so she will enjoy barn time more one day... and we eventually may buy our own farm.

Im all for being outside and letting my babies explore and get dirty etc.

 

[BlackBerry25]

We go walking in the ravine quite a bit, but I really want Helena to be outside as much as possible!

 

[aidensxmomma]

Aiden absolutely loves being outside. He gets to run around in the yard and chase the dogs around. Plus he likes to go over and throw grass at our chickens. And picking flowers (and weeds and grass) is right up his alley. lol. We go for a lot of walks, too. He likes to look up at the trees and sky while he's laying in his wagon. His favorite thing to do outside, though, is to jump in all the puddles after it rains. It's so cute! So hopefully all that counts.

We have an advantage, though, since we live in a tiny little town that is surrounded by trees/grass/nature. I've lived in the area almost my whole life and have seen cows, deer, coyotes, all sorts of birds, bears, raccoons...the list goes on and on. I am so thankful that Aiden will get to grow up in a place where he gets to experience and see it all, too. Right now, he's too young to really understand, but as he gets older, I'm sure he'll love it.


*By the way, sorry if that's a bit off topic *

 

[tasha41]

We've gone to the Royal Botanical Gardens for walks, and we're fortunate enough to live next to a big park with lots of trees, a creek, gardens for everyday sort of walks. We've also gone to the aviary, which has birds (obviously), a community garden, and flowers. We spend time outside almost everyday, depending on the weather, in our backyard.. even though it's the city, we have trees (lilac, poplar, maple), flowers, there's birds.. we've gone for walks at the Hamilton beach. Not very nice, but still, it's fresh air and she gets to see the water, geese, gulls.. we're going to the beach in August (Kincardine/Port Elgin).

We considered taking her camping this summer but have decided to hold out until next year because we have West Nile here and I don't want to have to do bottles etc while we're camping.. she'll be between 12 and 18 months then. We'll be hiking sections of the Bruce Trail once summer is through also (too hot to babywear for me, trails aren't always suitable for strollers in all places).. I want to take her to the zoo & butterfly conservatory (neither are really the true outdoors but I want her to see the animals), a conservation area nearby that has birds of prey and hiking trails, and a couple of other places.

 

[Decosta1228]

..... but it's worrying to hear my husband say that when he was about 10, he got told off for wasting a roll of camera film taking photos of cows because he'd never seen a real one before! We went to the Lake District together once and he found every little hill and field and tree amazing (thank God for digital cameras now!)... whereas I'd grown up around it and didn't find it anything out of the ordinary. I know that an appreciation of nature like he has is good and I realise now that I took it for granted, but I don't want my kids to see nature as something unusual.

When I first moved here to herefordshire, was in the car and convo goes like this:

Wife: Cows are lying down, it's going to rain
Me: Huh
Wife: Cows are lying down, it usually means it's going to rain. Didn't you know that
Me: How many cows do you see in London.

Sure enough 10 minutes later, it started to rain.


Also had a wierd thing at pointing out roadkill when i first moved..

 

[beancounter]

I take finn to the common or the park every day - not sure it does any good cos he usually sleeps I can't drive but in the hols and at the weekends we always go to the forest, or beach, or down t dorset for a nice walk. Finn loves being outside and if hes grumpy just going into the garden cheers him up no end...

 

[Tiff]

When I first moved here to herefordshire, was in the car and convo goes like this:

Wife: Cows are lying down, it's going to rain
Me: Huh
Wife: Cows are lying down, it usually means it's going to rain. Didn't you know that
Me: How many cows do you see in London.

Sure enough 10 minutes later, it started to rain.


Also had a wierd thing at pointing out roadkill when i first moved..

Oh. My. God. That made me laugh SO hard!!!!

 

[brownhairedmom]

i'm lucky enough that I live in western Newfoundland. I live a 2 min walk from the bay & this whole place is pretty much a nature conservatory. I'm scared to go outside in case a moose comes through the forest bordering my back yard!

so really, I don't think its going to be a problem