There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge)

by Linda Åkeson McGurk

There’s another reason why hands-on, meaningful play experiences in nature are so conducive to learning. Nature activates all the senses, but without being overwhelming. When children play in nature, they tend to be calm yet alert. “When their senses are engaged, they are strengthening their sensory skills. And strong sensory integration results in a higher incidence of learning,” says Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist and author of Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children. Conversely, Hanscom believes the rise in sensory issues in children is directly linked to the fact that children play less outside. Hanscom recommends as much as five to eight hours of active play every day, preferably outdoors, for toddlers and preschoolers, and four to five hours of physical activity and outdoor play for school-age children up to the age of thirteen.