Many of my childhood memories involve playing outside: crunching and jumping through leaves in fall, sledding and making snowmen in winter, hunting for 4 leaf-clovers in spring and curling dandelion stems in summer. (Just peel the dandelion stems into strips, drop them in water, and watch how they curl into incredible curly-cues. Very fun.)
Time spent outside has been replaced by time in front of screens. For example, the Fisher Price Summer 2009 catalog just arrived. They proudly advertise a new tot “Smart Fit Park” for children 3 to 6. “Kids can hop, skip, jump, walk and run their way through multiple levels of learning…” The toy includes software and a play mat you can hook up to you TV. Ugh.
In 2005, Richard Louv coined the phrase “nature-deficit disorder” in his book, Last Child in the Woods.http://richardlouv.com/ He and others have been advocating for more time outside, connected to nature. In fact, the National Wildlife Foundation has a campaign aimed at getting all kids outside for an hour everyday. “The National Wildlife Federation recommends that parents give their kids a ‘Green Hour’ every day, a time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. This can take place in a garden, a backyard, the park down the street, or any place that provides safe and accessible green spaces where children can learn and play. They have great ideas for parents and others. Check it out here: About This Campaign – NWF Green Hour
Finding safe outdoor spaces can be a challenge for families today, so it is helpful to know there are folks working hard to bring outdoor time back into the school day. Teachers can find ideas in the great book No Child Left Indoors: Creating a Field Guide to Your Schoolyard by Jane Kirkland http://www.takeawalk.com/no-student/ In the face of NCLB, it is good to find allies in the fight to keep outdoor play and connections with nature central to kids’ lives. Louv, Kirkland and the National Wildlife Federation are all part of the solution. Fisher Price, however, should think more about what’s good for children.
Geralyn, I couldn't agree with you more. In a similar vein, I am also annoyed by daycare centers that use television. Our church has one in the infant room.
When I'm not enjoying the outdoors this summer, or if it's too rainy, I plan to read Last Child in the Woods. Also plan to check out No Child Left Indoors, and maybe inspire some teachers to get the children outside. Thanks for the great resources, Geralyn.
Your welcome, Karen. As you come across other good resources, please let me know. Also, please update us in your efforts to inspire teachers to get children outside!
I remember as a kid exploring woods by myself and with friends, and by ten I was riding my bike alone a mile or more from home. But I don't feel comfortable letting my kids even go to the park across the street alone. They don't spend nearly as much time outside as I used to. I don't know how much of the concern for childrens' safety is real and how much is my perception, but I wish I could give my kids the freedom I had. It means that my kids get a very different childhood experience than I did, and not for the better in that sense, and although I think about this issue a lot, I'm frankly not sure how to resolve it, except to try to get more time outside myself with them.