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January 4 - April 24, 2024
Prioritize daily outdoor time from when your child is a baby to make it a natural part of your routine from the get-go. Remember that not every nature experience must entail a grand adventure to a scenic national park—watching a caterpillar make its way across a sidewalk or simply lying in the grass and watching the clouds go by in the backyard can be a great adventure to a small child. Celebrate these everyday nature experiences together, and come back to the same places often to make sure your child forms a bond with your community and its natural areas.
“all children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and well-being of individuals and communities.”
The idea is that it will come naturally when they’re ready for it. It’s a lot easier for them to learn when they have that intrinsic motivation.”
Plato said that “the most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.”
“We see childhood as an important part of a human’s life and not as a race to adulthood. We believe and respect the fact that children have the right to a happy childhood.”
As a parent, a great way to support them is simply to spend a lot of time outside, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child’s innate curiosity and willingness to investigate.
“In order for children to learn, they must be able to pay attention. And in order to pay attention, children need to move,”
“The well-being of the child is the parent’s responsibility, and they are the ones who need to make sure that the kids don’t have too much going on.”
A study by the University of Copenhagen showed that children actually got more exercise while playing freely outdoors than when they participated in organized sports.
“Children who spend a lot of time in nature have stronger hands, arms, and legs and significantly better balance than children who rarely get to move freely in natural areas.
“When your child comes to you and says he’s so ‘booored,’ give him a hug and tell him, ‘Good luck, my friend! I look forward to seeing what you get up to.’”
In Sweden, nature conservation, which involves making sure children “acquire a caring attitude to nature and the environment,”
“There are certain parts of the brain that are stimulated when we move around and have fun in a varied environment. We turn on our intuition when we go outside—and we need to do it more often.”
Stimulate children’s physical, cognitive, and social development by spending as much time as possible in nature, every day, all year-round.
“Everything becomes so simple when you’re outside, and there’s always something for the kids to do. Ultimately I think it comes down to whether you’re willing to get out of your comfort zone and learn new things in life.”
“If you can help children love nature, they will take care of nature, because you cherish things you love.”
Children may not appreciate nature for its meditative or spiritual qualities, but the habit of seeking emotional support, recreation, and inspiration from nature is established in childhood.
