How To Teach Kids To Love Nature In A Tech-Obsessed World

We know that nature serves as a calming force when we're stressed or anxious, and its effects on children may be even more profound.

"Nature has the power to make children happier, healthier, and smarter," Sarah Milligan-Toffler, executive director of the Children & Nature Network, explained during the Biophilic Leadership Summit, a gathering of dozens of thought leaders in nature-inspired design held this April.

The summit was sponsored by Interface, a sustainable modular carpet company, and the was backdrop—fittingly—was Serenbe, a buzzy wellness community where no home is more than a minute from a hiking trail, 70 percent of the land is reserved as protected green space, and unrivaled access to nature is practically guaranteed with a lease. With edible plants dotted throughout family backyards and trampolines embedded into the grass of public parks, the Georgian town served as a nearly utopian example of the outdoor exploration and play that Milligan-Toffler says is essential to childhood development—especially in an age when the average child spends 90 percent of their time indoors.

"Research supports that the more high-tech we become, the more nature we need in our lives," she tells mindbodygreen. However, recent studies show that the inverse is happening: One out of the UK found that 75 percent of children spend less time outside than prison inmates, and they harbor a growing fear of the outdoors preferring the safety of lives lived on screens.

Children & Nature Network works in 18 cities across the country to implement policies, programs, and leadership strategies that give children more equitable access to nature. In practice, that looks like implementing nature-based youth leadership programs, greening schools, and curating a public database with information on how to help children to thrive outdoors.

The organization's research library contains nearly 700 peer-reviewed research articles on the benefit of nature for kids of all ages—starting even before birth. Babies born to mothers with greater exposure to green space have been found to have healthier birth weights and a reduced risk of infant mortality. As babies grow into early childhood, these benefits only increase: "You really want to get young kids touching, feeling, playing, running in natural environments, not just for their physical development but their brain development," says Milligan-Toffler. "Children who are not exposed to nature on a regular basis in those early years have brain development that is compromised."

Research shows that learning in natural environments has the potential to boost grades, improve focus, and control impulses. In one study, an incredible 92 percent of newly "green" classrooms found that the changes caused higher standardized test scores, better GPAs, and increased enthusiasm for learning in students.

"As children get older, outdoor activities help them learn to communicate, problem-solve, and gain confidence," Milligan-Toffler goes on to explain of nature's cradle-to-grave benefits. It has also been shown to play a role in mental well-being by decreasing anger and anxiety1 and helping children cope with stressful life events—especially those who grow up in low-income urban communities.

"Get to know the trees, the plants, the birds, the critters in your own backyard. Learn their names. Notice who's there. Notice their patterns and make a game of it," she recommends. By bringing your child back to one particular green space—no matter how small—you'll encourage them to ask more questions about what they're seeing. "Use that inquiry model and find out what your kids are interested in. That's where technology can actually be super helpful: You can look up pretty much anything from species of leaf to bird calls on your phone."

"Link up with neighbors, friends, or other families and plan to meet up at a different park weekly or monthly. Put it on the calendar!" Your club can be as large as the 1,000-family troupe that exists in San Diego or as small as you and one other family. Check out books like Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life and peep Children & Nature Network's site for thought starters on enriching outdoor activities to put on your club's agenda.