New Understandings on Importance of Nature

I  regularly read the Children and Nature Network articles for inspiration and research.  I loved reading Richard Louv's books Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle.  I also am working on a creating a list at my local library of my favorite books for educators and parents.  However,  relevant to families in the NW  Louv recently wrote for the local Parent Map--from this link you can access many resources on nature preschools and parent child classes that just three years ago were still hard to find.

I feel like we are at a turning point in terms of education and early childhood understanding.  While No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top seemed to push out some of the "slow" experiences of raising children- research is now proving that we need to give children time to play.  It needs to be unstructured, but occasionally guided for social emotional growth.   It most likely will even be muddy!  The Washington State Early Learning Guidelines make it clear that outdoor time is great for development, but we have a ways to go in terms of making sure all children have this access.

Two years ago when I presented at the SOAR conference on the benefits of nature,  local preschool teachers at the conference said that they were often limited by regulations regarding the outdoor experiences they could provide for their kids.   As I investigate the schools in my region trying to find out what kindergarten will look like, I am sometimes concerned that there is so much standards based teaching and academics that it often hard for teachers to make the time for unstructured play and outdoor time.   I hope that we will make the time for all children.   As I reflect on Martin Luther King Jr's life and legacy this weekend with my family and community--I realize that is an equity issue to get all children opportunities for great  play and learning out of doors.

Prior to being the  full-time mother that I am currently;  I was a teacher.   I am confident that the more  unstructured outdoor experiences that children have will lead to greater mathematical, scientific and language arts understanding and success down the line.  The fact that my children play day in and day out at a mud pit in the back yard helps them understand their world today and will help them understand the land and water models that they will do in fourth or fifth grade.  Their explorations are teaching them about the elements, about what living organisms need to survive, and how to work together!   Does your local school have a play place for nature discovery?

I feel lucky that I have been able to immerse my children in the urban outdoors.  I invite neighbors to come by and play with us.  I have hosted a local urban nature play group at the library.  I still feel like many children are missing the access to nature.  Today as I march with the local preschool; I dream that all kids will have the ability to learn in nature.