Plugging Your Kids into Nature
Years and years ago, kids played outside during their leisure time. They’d congregate with others in the park or on playgrounds or someplace else where they’d get dirty and sunburned and occasionally come running home to mommy crying with a scrape on their elbow or knee. It was all part of growing up. Even though they didn’t realize it at the time, they were helping their bodies and minds grow by getting lots of fresh air and exercise.
Then electronics took over and Mother Nature got tuned out by the masses. More than likely, it probably started with radio in the middle of the 20th Century and got worse as TV began to dominate our lives. But nothing has been as intrusive and debilitating to the natural lives of playful kids as the electronic gadgets that began to appear in the late 20th Century. Kids today have never been so out of touch with Mother Nature.
When children spend hours on end watching TV or staring at the screen of a handheld game machine or computer, it is simply not as healthy as when they go outside and play. When they’re outside, they not only experience new sights, sounds, and smells, but they’re also helping their brain develop in a more natural and complete manner.
Research also suggests another advantage kids have when they’re exposed to the outdoors experiencing a more natureoriented life. Spending a minimum of a few hours every week outdoors helps kids develop a more rounded sense of wonder as they learn how the world around them fits into their lives.
Even though there are numerous benefits in keeping in touch with nature, the problem today is that our lives have become so filled full of other priorities that finding the time to unplug ourselves from today’s electronic universe has become almost impossible. However, even though we may live a hectic 24/7 lifestyle and there never seems to be time to incorporate nature into our lives, it’s still possible to reap the benefits of nature with these steps
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