Do Our Children Suffer from *Nature-Deficit Disorder?
I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are. - A fourth-grade student in San Diego
Don’t you find the quote above to be a disturbing one? With so much attention given to attention deficit disorder, reading disabilities, attention issues, etc., my blog title implies that there is yet another disorder or deficit for parents and people who work with children to be aware of and concerned about. According to a number of experts, never before in history have our children been so plugged in- and so out of touch with the natural world.
As a child, did you make mud pies, climb a tree, catch frogs or salamanders or fireflies, wade in a cold stream, recline on the grass to watch clouds, and/or build a fort or tree house in your neighborhood? Not that many years ago, it was standard for children to go outside to play in an unstructured way and not to return home until it was dark.
What happened? Encouraging children to go outside and play is increasingly difficult as there are other competitors for their time- computers, video games, and television to name a few. Parents have safety concerns, exploited by the media, such as fear of traffic, strangers, and even West Nile virus carried by mosquitoes. There is less access to natural areas (more manicured lawns and golf courses, and the loss of more green space to development), more homework, and more pressure for children to participate in a myriad of after school activities. There is a big time crunch going on!
Why is it important for children to play outdoors in natural areas? According to researchers, a direct experience with nature is essential for healthy childhood development- physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Having concerns about future stewards of the environment, I am reminded of Baba Dioum’s quote: In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, we will understand only what we are taught. Nature needs its children. Are our children losing the wonder of nature, negatively impacting their health, and are we losing a generation of would-be caretakers for earth? Richard Louv, child advocacy expert and the author of Last Child in the Woods, claims according to recent research, a lack of direct contact with nature is connected to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He continutes, children who play outdoors in nature perform better at school as he thinks it lowers their stress level and is restorative. Only in nature can children use their full senses, all at the same time, in a positive way. What can parents do about this concern? Louv suggests parents set an example by taking their kids fishing, hiking, camping, or organizing other family outdoor activities and promoting disorganized, creative play, too.
What can Trinity teachers and administrators do? Ah, this is where our focus on Tinity’s vision for the outdoor space comes into the conversation. Have you seen Discovery Playground or has your child mentioned playing there? One of Trinity’s teachers observed students last year and documented their rich, imaginative play on Discovery Playground. See attachment: Adventures in Play. Indeed, Discovery Playground is an exemplary example of a natural play environment where the joy of open-ended play is both encouraged and celebrated!
A future blog will focus on the philosophy concerning Trinity’s vision for the use of its outdoor space. Discovery Playground, Discovery Woods, and Discovery Gardens are only the beginning. We want your ideas and input as to what should or should not be included in our outdoor plan for the future.
*The definition of Nature-Deficit Disorder: A description of the human costs of alienation from nature.
September 19th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I never knew that there was a correlation between experiences in nature and ADHD! I guess it kind of makes sense- so many of the indoor activities that children typically participate in are stimulus-rich (video games, television, etc…). Was that what Louv was getting at?
I think that it would be a wonderful idea, albeit one that might be difficult given all of our schedules, for key players to spend a substantial amount of time watching, observing, and witnessing children playing in our current outdoor area.
Very good, well written first post!
September 28th, 2007 at 9:49 am
You may have read this article from the Washington Post (June 2007 I think) which highlights the issue, quotes Louv, and reports on a government/business/education collaborative effort to raise $20 million for 20 encouraging time spent outdoors. Also noted is the goal of “one green hour” per day:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/18/AR2007061801808.html
Given that 85% of our time is spent indoors, behind “screens” or not, intentional efforts to bring nature back to our children and families with “unstructured” activities is highly commendable.