I found this article fascinating and am happy to be able to share it with you here! How do you encourage nature play in your children?
Do your kids play with nature? Have they been developing a love for the natural world? Recent studies have shown that children need unstructured, nature-based play in order to develop into healthy adults, yet many children in our urban, structured society do not get this chance. Here are some ideas to help you work nature play into everyday life.
Outdoor Play Is Not Necessarily Nature Play
First, it's important to get rid of some preconceived ideas about nature play. Many adults mistakenly assume that sending their kids outside to play is good enough. While nature play may occur during these times, it’s not guaranteed. True nature play will engage kids with nature, encouraging them to explore and discover with all of their senses without the hindrance of other play structures or playthings.
First, it's important to get rid of some preconceived ideas about nature play. Many adults mistakenly assume that sending their kids outside to play is good enough. While nature play may occur during these times, it’s not guaranteed. True nature play will engage kids with nature, encouraging them to explore and discover with all of their senses without the hindrance of other play structures or playthings.
Create a Nature Play Area
One problem limiting nature play is the lack of areas for kids to explore — to address this, you can create a natural area in your own backyard. The National Wildlife Federation tells parents that nature play spaces are made up of natural landscape and vegetation that children are able to play in and on. Creating a space like this in your backyard, separate from your outdoor play equipment, is a great way to encourage connecting with nature.
If you are going to create a natural play area for your little ones, section off an area where natural micro-habitats exist. Use plants that are native to your area, and natural features like rocks, so you will draw critters to the habitat. Avoid adding playground elements, which will detract from the natural environment.
One problem limiting nature play is the lack of areas for kids to explore — to address this, you can create a natural area in your own backyard. The National Wildlife Federation tells parents that nature play spaces are made up of natural landscape and vegetation that children are able to play in and on. Creating a space like this in your backyard, separate from your outdoor play equipment, is a great way to encourage connecting with nature.
If you are going to create a natural play area for your little ones, section off an area where natural micro-habitats exist. Use plants that are native to your area, and natural features like rocks, so you will draw critters to the habitat. Avoid adding playground elements, which will detract from the natural environment.
Frequent Natural Areas
Make visiting natural areas a part of your daily or weekly schedule. Find a forest preserve to take a walk through or visit a nature center with an outdoor habitat that your children can explore. When this becomes habit, your children will learn to love to play in nature.
Keep in mind that the frequency of your nature play is more important than the quality of the setting. Taking your kids to an open field and letting them run and explore every week is more valuable than taking them to the national park once or twice a year. Doing both is even better, but the key to developing a true love for nature in your children is having frequent encounters with nature.
Make visiting natural areas a part of your daily or weekly schedule. Find a forest preserve to take a walk through or visit a nature center with an outdoor habitat that your children can explore. When this becomes habit, your children will learn to love to play in nature.
Keep in mind that the frequency of your nature play is more important than the quality of the setting. Taking your kids to an open field and letting them run and explore every week is more valuable than taking them to the national park once or twice a year. Doing both is even better, but the key to developing a true love for nature in your children is having frequent encounters with nature.
Avoid the Temptation to Intervene
Children who play in nature are going to damage it. They will pick flowers, break twigs and tramp through plants. In moderation, this is fine. It teaches them to love nature, and how to treat nature well so it is not damaged. Set up an area that they can do this in without hurting your carefully cultivated landscaping. Avoid the temptation to intervene, unless you see the children are in danger or are starting to be cruel to animals and insect life.
Children who play in nature are going to damage it. They will pick flowers, break twigs and tramp through plants. In moderation, this is fine. It teaches them to love nature, and how to treat nature well so it is not damaged. Set up an area that they can do this in without hurting your carefully cultivated landscaping. Avoid the temptation to intervene, unless you see the children are in danger or are starting to be cruel to animals and insect life.
Thoughtfully Embrace Risk
Nature play involves some risk. Your child will try to climb to the top of the tree or balance on a precarious rock. As a parent of a young child, you may want to avoid some of this risk, but it is an essential part to helping your child develop a curiosity about and love for nature. Try to balance risk by making these "dangerous" activities a little safer in your nature play area. For example, encourage climbing in trees with low-to-the-ground limbs, and use logs to stabilize wiggly rocks so children can climb and explore. Be willing to let your kids get a little dirty, even if it means a few cuts or scrapes, so they can benefit from a love of nature.
Nature play involves some risk. Your child will try to climb to the top of the tree or balance on a precarious rock. As a parent of a young child, you may want to avoid some of this risk, but it is an essential part to helping your child develop a curiosity about and love for nature. Try to balance risk by making these "dangerous" activities a little safer in your nature play area. For example, encourage climbing in trees with low-to-the-ground limbs, and use logs to stabilize wiggly rocks so children can climb and explore. Be willing to let your kids get a little dirty, even if it means a few cuts or scrapes, so they can benefit from a love of nature.
Throw Away the Structure
Putting rules and a time limit on nature play will limit its effectiveness. Unstructured, unregulated play will give kids the freedom to really love and explore their nature play area. Give them freedom, and watch them blossom under it!
Putting rules and a time limit on nature play will limit its effectiveness. Unstructured, unregulated play will give kids the freedom to really love and explore their nature play area. Give them freedom, and watch them blossom under it!
David Reeves is the Marketing Director of Superior Recreational Products (SRP) in Carrollton, GA. Grounds for Play a division of SRP, focuses on creating play environments to provide mental and physical challenges for children. Their play areas are used in many markets, including in schools, military installations and day care centers.