Kids who spend time enjoying the out-of-doors experience many benefits
In an article I’ve quoted in a past post, by Adam Voiland entitled, Why Kids Need a Big Dose of Nature , Mr. Voiland interviews Richard Louv (author of the excellent book, “Last Child in the Woods”), about the today’s children and their lack of contact with the out-of-doors. Voiland asked Louv, ” In addition to preventing disease, is there evidence that exposure to nature can actually boost abilities?”, and Richard Louv responds:
“Much of the evidence points to benefits. We see increased self-confidence, better body image, and cognitive benefits. Kids who spend more time outdoors tend to do better on testing; they do better on science; they tend to play more cooperatively.”
I agree.
As I said in my other post, one of the biggest benefits to nature study is just being in nature, and the health benefits of being outside, enjoying creation. It can’t be underestimated. There are other benefits I’ve found to nature study too:
1. Nature Study Can Help With Attention
For one thing, being outside and starting to really observe the world around you helps you to better take a look at everything. You start to notice details you never noticed before. As a mom or a teacher, if we ask our children more pointed questions to get them looking closer at the natural world around them, they may start to notice these details on their own. Essentially, you start to train them to pay attention to details.
This eventually spills over into other subjects and diciplines. Attention to detail is a huge benefit in all subjects and endeavors.
2. Nature Study Provides a Practical, Hands-On Frame of Reference for Science
To read about the parts of a flower in a science textbook is one thing; to actually go outside, look at all different kinds of flowers, and try to identify the parts is another. You can learn about botany in a classroom or from a book all you want, but until you actually interact with nature, most of it will just be theory.
To put it another way, in the Bible, in the book of Proverbs, Solomon frequently refers to Wisdom, Understanding and Knowlege. A lot of us have Knowledge– that’s knowing facts. And facts are good. Understanding is when you can see how those facts fit together. You don’t just know the parts of a flower; you understand what they do and how they work together to form fruit and more seed. Wisdom however is being able to take what you know and understand, and apply in in practical ways. When a child (or adult) really grasps a concept, instead of just knowing facts about it, they have truly learned.
Hands on nature study provides a way to help make those lessons on the natural world stick in the minds of our children. It also will help our children to develop a love and respect for the world around them, helping them understand and care about conservation issues in a practical way.
3. Nature Study Provides Fresh Air and Exercise
By default, nature study requires some walking, some out-of-doors time, and a little bit of exercise while all of that learning is taking place, vs. spending time in front of a box. This is good for both health and emotional well being.
In fact, according to this article from the New York Times website, A Dose of Nature for Attenion Problems, a recent study points to simply being in nature as beneficial to those with attention deficit disorder. I know as someone who also has ADD as an adult, nothing clears my head and helps me focus quite like an afternoon outside. The author writes,
“A small study conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at how the environment influenced a child’s concentration skills. The researchers evaluated 17 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, who all took part in three 20-minute walks in a park, a residential neighborhood and a downtown area. After each walk, the children were given a standard test called Digit Span Backwards, in which a series of numbers are said aloud and the child recites them backwards. The test is a useful measure of attention and concentration because practice doesn’t improve the score. The order of the walks varied for all the children, and the tester wasn’t aware of which walk the child had just taken. The study, published online in the August The Journal of Attention Disorders, found that children were able to focus better after the “green” walks compared to walks in other settings.”
What benefits have YOU noticed when partaking in nature study?
