The scientific benefits of raising outdoor children

Guest post by Karen Clarkson, nature play advocate, mum of two and founder of The Outdoor Kids Project.

In an increasingly global world, driven by online activity, television, devices and extracurricular activities competing for our attention, it’s no wonder fewer children are getting the chance to play daily in nature.⁣ Author Richard Louv has famously coined the term 'Nature Deficit Disorder' and describes the detrimental effects on humans as a result of this increased divide between children and nature. He says time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our children’s health. ⁣

As a parent raising children in New Zealand, what does this mean for us? What are the benefits of time spent in nature every day and what happens if we’re not getting outside for the recommended amounts? Further still, what are the true costs for our tamariki when screen time is taking over?⁣

In this post, I’m going to share some key insights to give you the confidence that prioritising daily outdoor time is one of the best things you can do for your children. This is also a resource for you to share with your friends, family and your community and help spread the message on how important it is to teach, parent and grand-parent alongside nature every day.

Why is this important now? In the past, while experts were concerned about the trends, it has been tricky to isolate the direct impacts of decreased green time. But now we have increasing amounts of studies, research and literature dedicated to this, including the first ‘epidemiological’ or specific health-related studies that show an association between less contact with the natural world in childhood and worse mental health in adulthood. This is huge! If we don't take nature time seriously when our children are young, the facts show us it will most definitely have an effect on their physical and mental health as an adult.

So, what are the benefits of nature for our families?

Healthy and strong: 

Children’s physical development occurs systematically, from the core of the body out to the extremities. While there is a huge emphasis on the importance of fine motor control, it is actually one of the last skills to develop - first must come strength and stability of the core and of the arms. So, if your child hasn’t been climbing and swinging much as a preschooler, holding a pencil might be more of a challenge at school.⁣ ⁣Rachel McFedries, Occupational Therapist says it is through free play (playing outdoors especially) that your child will have a healthy strong body that will in turn, enable them to thrive at school.

They sleep better:

In 2015, a small Australian study found that reducing screen time and increasing outdoor play can improve children’s sleep. A study of adults from the University of Groningen found that exposure to light in the daytime contributed to both the quantity and quality of sleep. Scientists think this is because of the way bright light helps establish our circadian rhythms, the internal messaging that tells our bodies when to sleep.

Immunity:

Exposure to germs in childhood is thought to help strengthen the immune system and protect children from developing allergies and asthma. Eating dirt and playing in the mud are thought to confer protection from allergies and asthma. (Olszak, T. et al. 2012). Scientists believe that breathing in phytoncides—airborne chemicals produced by plants—increases our levels of white blood cells, helping us fight off infections and diseases.

Creativity and problem solving:

Play in nature is especially important for developing capacities for creativity, problem solving and intellectual development (Kellert, 2005).⁣ Studies of children in schoolyards found that children engage in more creative forms of play in the green areas. They also play more cooperatively in the natural environment (Bell and Dyment, 2006). 

Less likely to experience sensory and emotional disorders:

In her book, “Balanced and Barefoot”, pediatric occupational therapist Angela J. Hanscom says the amount of time children spend in unstructured play has decreased by 50 percent in the past two decades and as children's lives are becoming more and more digital, doctors, teachers and child specialists around the world are noticing increased sensory and emotional disorders in young people.

Development of senses:

Nature provides so much opportunity to develop the vestibular or balance sense. It’s an important one too because it’s the first fully functioning sensory system to develop. Ginny from 1000 Hours Outside says this is why kids are drawn to activities like hanging upside down, swinging, rolling down hills, spinning and rough and tumble. All of these things are strengthening and developing the balance system and helping children learn where their body is in space.

Increased levels of mental health and well-being:

Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, show that of nearly 3,600 participants they collected data from, those who had less contact with the natural world growing up, associated with depression and feelings of nervousness in adulthood. Those that had less exposure to nature as a child, also scored lower on the mental health tests and this was true regardless of how much time they spent in nature as adults. 

The Mental Health Foundation has published papers on the relationship between sustainable environmental practices and positive mental health. They say the natural environment is fundamentally important to both our physical and psychological well-being, so actions that promote and protect our natural environment help to increase our ability to flourish in life. In turn, people and communities that are flourishing have high levels of well-being, tend to be environmentally responsible in their behaviour and can, therefore, contribute to environmental sustainability.

⁣Healthy risk taking:

Opportunities for children to engage in risky or unstructured ‘real play’ is rapidly diminishing. While risky play is such an important element of children’s development, it can often be the hardest to support. As our needs to safeguard our children from the perils of the world increase, so too does the chances of us discouraging risky play. But just like anything in life, we need to experience things before we can learn from them. Children must experience risk in order to feel challenged, learn, test their limits, grow their brains and set boundaries for themselves.⁣⁣ Scientists agree that "the opportunity for risk taking (in nature) improves children’s competencies in risk management and risk perception. In addition, social skills may be enhanced through opportunities for collaboration with older peers, as children collectively decide and learn how to manage risk." (Bundy et al., 2009) ⁣

Raising future guardians:

Research shows empathy with and love of nature grows out of children’s regular contact with the natural world. As a result, the Department of Conservation has developed Toyota Kiwi Guardians, an activity programme for young New Zealanders to go on family adventures, earn rewards and learn about nature. Hands-on, informal, self-initiated exploration and discovery in local, familiar environments are often described as the best ways to engage and inspire children and cultivate a sense of wonder. These frequent, unstructured experiences in nature are the most common influence on the development of lifelong conservation values. And we all know, the earth needs more people advocating for it and making change, now more than ever before.

I know in our increasingly busy lives, it can be tricky to tick all the boxes, provide the best opportunities for your children and do it all. I'm a busy mum, I struggle too. I hear you. But when we are educated on the importance of nature for our children's healthy development and the benefits for our communities and our planet, it becomes critical to say yes to being outdoors every day with your children. If you're interested in joining our community of Kiwi parents, to be inspired and educated on the importance of raising outdoor kids, and gain tips and tricks for getting outdoors every day, please join us on Instagram.

BIO:

Karen Clarkson is a passionate nature play advocate, mother of two active boys and founder of The Outdoor Kids Project. As a new mum with a baby that hardly slept at home, she took to the streets, the park, the beach and the bush and experienced first hand the benefits of nature not only for her children, but for her own mental health. She created The Outdoor Kids Project to write, inspire and educate Kiwi parents on all things raising outdoor kids. She shares her daily adventures with her boys around New Zealand and hosts a guest post series called #realoutdoormums where she chats to outdoor mums, educators, teachers and professionals who share their tips, tricks and expert opinions on all things outdoor play, family adventures and nature education. You can join her community here.

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