Martin |1 Tarah Martin Bee Faxon English 102 12 June 2012 World Count: 3,147 What Can a Child

Get Out of Nature? In my childhood there were many times where I would complain and throw fits because my mom would not let me go outside without a jacket or when it was raining. She had many reasons for keeping me inside. She knew I would track in a bunch of dirt, try to bring things I found inside with me, or I would get sick. My cousin and I had a passion for frogs. When we found a frog we were the happiest kids in the whole world. We would drive our parents crazy begging to take them inside to keep as our pets. When begging did not work we came up with a plan. We took a shoe box and made a house for the frog and snuck the frog inside. We put holes in the box so the frog would not suffocate; we added leaves and a little Tupperware dish filled it with water. We were ecstatic about being able to catch a frog and creating what we assumed to be a safe environment. Unfortunately, we were caught red-handed trying to sneak the frog in the house. We were told the frog had to stay outside, but that we could keep it in the box. We were very disappointed, shocked, and saddened the next day when we checked on the frog and it had perished. What we experienced, how we felt, and what we learned has continued to impact us to this day. The ability to touch, see, and hear the frog allowed us to have a physical connection with nature. A child that has a physical connection with nature may have a heightened ability

Martin |2 when using his or her senses. Does a having a physical connection to nature benefit a child in more ways than one? What are the learning benefits of the physical connection with nature? A physical connection with nature provides a hands-on learning environment which gives a child the ability to enhance his or her learning skills and knowledge in a range of subjects and tasks. A childs intellectual processing, problem solving, creativity, test scores, and school performance, have been shown to increase by having a connection with nature (James, Bixler 68). Susan Morgan, Susan Hamilton, Michael Bentley, and Sharon Myrie evaluated students from grades kindergarten through eighth, and their academic performances before, during, and after, attending the Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn, New York. Students that attended the Botanic Gardens were allowed a hands-on learning environment, which showed an increase in their educational learning; environmental awareness; appreciation; social skills; self-discipline; sense of belonging; and experience of different religious backgrounds (4). Learning and examining plants helped students improve their skills [in] writing, public speaking, geography, art, and cooking (Morgan, Hamilton, Bentley, and Myrie 5). Learning these skills through a physical connection is preparing them for their futures. Without these skills many of todays high school graduates are going off to college without the knowledge or skills of how to cook or care for themselves. Simply by going outside and physically interacting with nature, children can gain skills and knowledge that will last them a life time. A students math, science, and writing scores greatly improve by having the opportunity to learn outside (James, Bixler 6-7). Schools that have gardens and allow children to experience life with their hands have seen improvements in test scores (Blair 6). A child improves in these subjects by learning how to [measure] space, [observe] and [experiment] with natural and plant processes, learning about soil improvement,

Martin |3 recycling, creatively reusing materials, propagation, germination and saving seeds (Blair 6). If a garden is not accessible a child can improve their knowledge by having the opportunity to touch and count the number of petals on a flower, learn about the different bugs and birds they see and how each one lives. Children are able to improve their writing and listening skills by taking time to relax and observe what nature has to offer. The different smells, sounds, colors, and textures open up more opportunities for creativity and vocabulary. A child that takes the time to observe the things around them and learn to use their senses has a greater advantage remembering their childhood as an adult. Most children today are informed and educated about the current global threats to the environment, but they lack the knowledge of what is happening in their own communities (Louv 1). Educating children at a young age about the global threats to the environment such as global warming, does not teach or inform a child about the places they see every day. David Sobel says that Whats important is that children have an opportunity to bond with the natural world, to learn to love it and feel comfortable in it, before being asked to heal its wounds (186). World crises are so far out of reach for a child, that they end up feeling ashamed and saddened for contributing to the environmental crisis. Children do not have the control or understanding of what and why environmental problems are occurring around the world because they may have not experienced them. Without exposure a child may lose all their appreciation for nature. Lowell Monke mentions in his piece Charlottes Webpage that: If children do not dip their toes in the waters of unsupervised social activity, they likely will never be able to swim in the sea of civic responsibility. If they have no opportunities to dig in the soil, discover the spiders, bugs, birds, and plants that populate even the

Martin |4 smallest unpaved playgrounds, they will be less likely to explore, appreciate, and protect nature as adults. (149) In other words, if children are not allowed free-time to explore their own physical connection to nature there is a possibility they will lack the purpose of what nature holds. In turn they will become reckless adults that destroy the environment. What are the health benefits of a child having a physical connection with nature? Along with the learning advantages children gain, they also gain a number of health benefits. While the number of children who have a physical connection with nature continues to decrease, the number of children being diagnosed with disorders and health problems increases. Todd Christopher mentions in Green Hour: A Daily Dose of Nature for Happier, Healthier, Smarter Kids that the United Nations figures indicate that the United States alone produces, and consumes, about 85 percent of the worlds methylphenidate (6). Methylphenidate is what is used in medications to treat people with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In 2003 the Centers for Disease Control [calculated] that 4.4 million [children] ages 4-17 have been professionally diagnosed with ADHD (Godbey 8). The statistics of children who are medicated just for ADHD is outrageous! These children who are medicated may end up becoming addicted which may cause more health problems. According to Richard Louv, in order to solve the problem of children being medicated, children need to have a physical interaction with nature. Children who have a physical connection with nature have been found to have lower risks and symptoms of ADHD because it helps calm and relax them (35). If a child has the ability to better concentrate when she or he is physically interacting with nature then something should be done. The amount of time that children spend with nature should be increased.

Martin |5 Christopher mentions research by Nancy Wells who found that children seem to be more relaxed, aware, and have a greater sense of belonging when they live in an atmosphere that includes a physical natural connection both in and out of their home (6). A child who does not have a physical connection with nature and does not spend much time outside risks an increase of Vitamin D deficiency. In 2009 the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that approximately 58.4 million of [United States] children and adolescents have insufficient levels of Vitamin D (Godbey 8). Low levels of Vitamin D may lead to diabetes, bone thinning, osteoporosis, and heart disease problems (nature.org). Repeated exposure to the outdoors and nature can be beneficial to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Children who spend physical time with nature have a greater opportunity to gain a sense of belonging and importance by having hands-on interaction with natures components leads to improved mental health. According to the National Wildlife Federation, a child who holds a deep physical connection with nature has a lower risk of depression, and anxiety (nature.org). Children who learn and experience how to use their eyes, ears, nostrils and finger tips, [opens] up [their] disused channels of sensory impression (Carson 52), this helps a child to become relaxed and calm, allowing them to take their minds off overwhelming situations. Children who spend time outside physically connecting with nature have a lower risk of becoming obese. It has been estimated that in 2010 approximately 17 percent of children ages 2-19 years are obese and an additional 14.8 percent are considered overweight (Godbey 8). Children who are physically active, versus those who sit indoors have been shown to have lower risks in a variety of health problems. In order for children to lower the risk of becoming obese as an adult, they need to get out there and become physically active with nature. According to the [United States] Surgeon General, overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese as

Martin |6 adults (Godbey 8). Physically active children are overall healthier children, and healthier children become healthier adults. With all these health benefits a child can gain from having a physical connection with nature, why is the number of children who do not connect with nature increasing over the years? What are the causes of children not having or not wanting a physical connection with nature? Over the years, the number of children who are allowed or want a connection with nature has been decreasing due to a number of factors. The children who want to explore and find a physical connection with nature are not allowed the opportunity to do so because of how much more protective we have been with our land over the years. Louv includes in his work that countless communities have virtually outlawed unstructured outdoor nature play, often because of the threat of lawsuits, but also because of a growing obsession with order (28). In other words, we think we own the land that our communities are built on and that we can do anything we want with it, such as blocking off areas. If children are not allowed to have the opportunities to explore nature, then they will not be able create a physical connection with nature that allows them to have access to the benefits that nature creates. There are other options available, but with the laws and lack of access to many areas, people are not able to create activities that will allow children to have a physical connection with nature. For example, the article entitled Parents outraged about condo rule keeping children inside, talks about how children want to go outside, but they are not allowed because there are restrictions on children under the age of 18 requiring them to be supervised at all times to ensure they will not disrupt their neighbors and community members (Gill 1). Author Kristine Gill, includes elderly neighbors mentioning that they do not get bothered by the children playing in the neighborhood. The purpose of these restrictions is to keep peace to a maximum and safety risks to a minimum. Other community members feel it is

Martin |7 wrong to enforce these restrictions and keep children from just playing outside and exploring without supervision (1). Children also prefer to stay inside because that is where they can play with their electronics. Louv asked children why they prefer to stay indoors; a fourth graders answer was I like to play indoors better cause thats where all the electrical outlets are (10). Electronics have made a huge impact on why children choose to stay inside away from nature. Society today revolves around electronics, and children are becoming so attached to them that they forget about their senses: touch, taste, smell and hearing. They do not have a need for them when using electronic devices (Louv 57). This has also led to a dramatic decline in the amount time children are involved with nature: In the United States, children are spending less time playing outdoors---or in any unstructured way. From 1997 to 2003, there was a decline of 50 percent in the proportion of children nine to twelve who spent time in such outside activities as hiking, walking, fishing, beach play and gardening, according to a study by Sandra Hofferth at the University of Maryland. (34) With the shocking statistics that Louv provides, one begins to wonder what the future is going to look like for the environment. Is it still going to hold all its creations, or is it going to shrivel to pieces? These statistics come from the years 1997 to 2003, and we are currently in the year 2012. It makes me wonder what the percentage is now and if there is any new reason for the decline? What are the most current reasons and statistics on the number of children who have a physical connection with nature?

Martin |8 The most current reasons why children do not have a physical connection with nature have grown since Louvs data was recorded eight years ago. In 2011 The Nature Conservancy said that the vast majority of todays kids use a computer, watch TV, or play video games on a daily basis, but only about 10 percent say they are spending time outdoors every day (nature.org 3). Technology is sucking children in, taking them away from having the opportunity to connect with nature. Why do children choose to put aside the opportunities to have a connection with nature? This is also what The Nature Conservancy wondered, so they figured out how to get answers by creating a survey where they asked children ages 13 to 18 to tell why they choose not have a physical connection with nature. The findings show the data Louv included in his work still remain factors, but they have grown dramatically over the years. The findings also add some new reasons why children do not have a physical connection with nature. Some of the new reasons that The Nature Conservancy includes are: they lack interest in nature; there are bugs; it is too hot or cold outside; there are higher risks of getting hurt; they have health issues that permit them from going outside; they feel it costs money to participate in nature activities; and the protectiveness of parents and family keep them away from nature (nature.org 2). If we continue to ignore these problems, our society will come to a point where children will completely lose any sort of physical connection with nature, and they will miss out on all the benefits and advantages that a child gains from having that connection. What can be done to increase a childs physical connection with nature? Some ways we can improve childrens physical connection to nature are by implementing and creating programs that allow children to learn and be connected to the world outside the classroom. Schools should have gardens that allow children to explore and experience the transformations of nature with their hands. Children who are involved in a school gardening

Martin |9 program have been shown to gain more acceptance, knowledge and connection to nature, which is shaping their lives for the future (Blair 2). Many children thrive to feel accepted; by having a garden a child gets the feeling that the she or he is important. Children also gain the skills of teamwork and communication (James, Bixler 8). Although gardens offer children great hands-on learning opportunities, Sobel mentions that many teachers choose to educate children about nature but not require so many hands-on tasks. For example, teachers would rather teach from a book or computer screen instead of going through the struggle of preparing a field trip to the woods or a river down the road. According to Sobel, going on a field trip is asking too much from teachers because they have to get parents permission, plan out the curriculum or activities, make sure the children are dressed correctly, and they have to provide transportation if needed Budget cuts have also reduced the amount of money schools and teachers receive for activities (182). Without the cooperation and enthusiasm of teachers creating an educational environment that allows children to have more physical connection with nature, it is unlikely that this connection would be made. Something must be done, probably in teacher education or funding. The revised bill, No Child Left Inside Act, was submitted to the Congress in July of 2011. This bill covers the reasons why children should have an education that allows them to connect and learn with nature. Including health and educational benefits children gain and use throughout their lives (Gov. Track 2). The bill also covers a new education curriculum. Schools will be required to give a child an education that includes a physical connection with nature (4). If schools and programs need funding to support these new programs then they may apply for grants that are funded by the state as long as they meet the new curriculum requirements (Gov. Track 6). Unfortunately, this bill still remains in Congresss hands and is likely not to pass given the current political and economic climate. It is up to individuals not matter if we are the parent,

M a r t i n | 10 educator, community member, or citizen of the United States, in order for a change to happen we cannot rely on legislation to protect the environment or our children. Looking back at my childhood memories, such as the times spent with my cousin catching frogs. I have realized how much more I have gained from those experiences and how they have prepared me for the different obstacles I have faced in my life and still have yet to encounter. In The Sense of Wonder Rachel Carson mentions that a childs physical connection with nature involves, incorporating animistic and magical thinking which is important because it: Fosters the healthy creative and emotional growth of a child; forms the best foundation for later intellectual growth. The connection provides a way in which children get to know the world and creates possibilities for different ways of responding to change and the effects it has on nature (45) The point that Carson makes about children playing is exactly what I have discovered. I hope that every child today and in the future gets to experience and learn about what nature has to offer and how much they can gain from simply spending thirty minutes a day outside examining, exploring, and discovering places they have never been before. Hug a Tree!!