This is a good article by Chris Lee about how parents and society fears are partially to blame for keeping our children from nature.
Think back to your childhood and recall how much time you spent outside. Recall those times fishing with Grandpa or exploring trails with a sibling. Or maybe it was building forts and tree houses in the wooded area down the street. Whatever it was, most folks would agree that unscheduled, unstructured time outdoors was an important part of their childhood.
Now consider how many kids today have built a tree house, or have even seen one? In today’s tech-happy, plugged-in world, kids aren’t getting outside and into nature nearly as much as their parents did. They’re not playing in the woods or exploring the nearby creek. They darn sure aren’t building tree houses. They don’t have the opportunity to explore at will and learn from experience or see the natural world as it exists without lawnmowers, chemicals and weed trimmers. When they are outside, it’s increasingly for an organized sport, which research has shown not to have the same restorative effect on kids as does play in natural areas such as weedy fields and woodlots. It’s a disturbing trend for sure, especially considering the future of our natural resources hang on the efforts, passions and votes of today’s youth.
Read rest of story >> The Hawk Eye.
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