Outdoor Play
From an early age, kids have a love and curiosity with being outside. My favorite example of this always revolves around mud puddles and toddlers. Combine those and what is always bound to happen? The toddler jumps in the mud puddle with pure joy on their face, as they want to do it again and again and again. I say, let’s foster that joy of being outside in nature and provide as many opportunities as possible for our kids.
We all know that once upon a time, kids were allowed out the back door to play outside all day with parents saying ‘be home by dinner.’ I’ve even heard of some local towns that used to have the fire-house sound its horn signaling the end of the day when all the kids had to go inside. Today, for several different reasons, kids don’t go outside to play unsupervised all day. However, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t get our kids outside to play in nature. More and more studies are showing a link between spending time in nature and the reduction of stress, obesity, depression and attention deficit disorders.
As the Director of Education at an Environmental Education Center, I have seen firsthand the benefits of outdoor play. First and foremost, the sheer enjoyment that kids have when they get to explore nature is amazing to see. When we bring kids to a pond, meadow, creek, or forest to explore we provide them with the resources (bug nets, bamboo fishing poles, field guides, etc.) for each ecosystem and just let them go. At first, they always have some hesitancy, but once they make one discovery after another their curiosities just grow. It could be about catching a butterfly in the meadow or building a shelter in the woods or digging up some ooeey gooeey mud in the creek or catching their first ever fish at the pond. No matter what, there is so much to discover outside.
So how and where do parents go about getting their kids outside and engaged with nature? Well, there are plenty of opportunities all around us. Take them to the park, go on an adventure (don’t call it a hike, adventure sounds much more interesting) in the woods, build a shelter in the forest, explore a local creek, the possibilities are endless. Find a local nature based summer camp or enroll in a nature-based program at your local nature center. By getting your kids engaged with nature, not only will you provide them with an appreciation for the world around them, but they will create a connection with this earth that will help them become stewards for local and global sustainability.
The more I see kids engaged with nature, the more I see all their senses stretched and their imagination expanding. I love to see their excitement when they get to share their discoveries. I love to see their enthusiasm when returning to their favorite exploration location. I love to see their creativity come to life when they just get to play and have fun in nature. Simply, I love to see the kids outside in nature because I know they will have a meaningful experience.
Brian Kuser is the Director of Education at Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center. His love and passion for the outdoors and nature started from the moment he was born as he grew up on the 230-acre Fernbrook Farms. His passion for the environment grew as he spent 16 summers going on and leading 10-day canoe trips in the Canadian wilderness. Today, Fernbrook Farms is host to the Environmental Education Center, a CSA, a wholesale Nursery, and The Inn at Fernbrook Farms. Visit www.fernbrookfarms.com for more information.