How Do Your Children Connect With Nature?

Today I was thinking about the children and nature movement. At camp, we know the benefit of taking children outdoors. There are authors writing books about children and nature. The media have focused a great deal of time promoting children going outside. The government has gotten involved creating bills to reconnect children with nature. Do you know what I found when I did a Google search today of “children and nature” blogs? More than 88 million people were talking about the significance of children and nature.

This is HUGE. It is important to learn about, understand, and discuss. Most of all, it is important to actually go OUTSIDE with your children! It is hard to find the time. We all have busy schedules. But, just think how much fun it was when you were a child to jump in piles of leaves, help your parents rake, or even just play in the yard after school. The payoff of spending a few minutes outside with your children is worth the few minutes it takes you away from cleaning the kitchen, sending one more email, making one quick phone call.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know we had snow last week, then a beautiful day Saturday. The changing weather made me enjoy being outside even more. The aspen leaves are almost completely yellow right now. I challenge everyone to go out and take in what’s around you. Let your children appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature. As the temperatures drop, it is harder to motivate to go outside. It takes effort to bundle up and be sure everyone has mittens and hats. However, if you get in the habit now of spending a little time outside and enjoying nature, it will be easier as the fall becomes winter.

How do your children connect with nature?