Grounds for play

I think I’m in line with what we’ve known all along about child development, and science is continuing to back the idea up with research. And the latest? Here’s an article with new research showing yet another advantage to outdoor activities: The Sun Is the Best Optometrist . The natural world is a healthy place to be, and our culture needs to head back outside.

In his book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv shows the critical need for children to spend time outside. It’s a classic, if you haven’t read it you should consider picking up a copy. So that covers the why to go outside. But how?  What about children growing up in urban areas?

Access to nature is important in designing areas for children to play and for families deciding where to live. Cities across America are developing an awareness of the need for parks, and there is a program in the works to help pediatricians encourage families to spend time outside by matching them up with local parks that will meet their needs. According to this Washington Post article, the National Park Service is working with the American Academy of Pediatrics on this initiative.

Another sign of the growing enlightenment: the state of Maryland is now requiring high school students to develop environmental literacy. A good idea, in theory, but I’m curious to see how it will be implemented. Textbooks? Tests? Classroom time? (Maybe we should start at birth?)

It’s a wonderful thing, environmental literacy. But I think that in order to preserve this planet, we need to get to know it on a more personal level.

Feral children in the forecast

In the winter, the children watched a lot of Sponge Bob and ate a lot of toast. But, as the winter passed away and spring emerged they got back outside more. They spend lots of time working on their fort in the back corner of the yard, carefully arranging sticks and spreading moss on the ground as a carpet. They planted bulbs in a circle as a fence, so the yellow daffodil blooms curve cheerily around their area. Sparkly gems and colored stones are pressed into the cracks in the bark, and a bird feeder hangs from a low branch. Long shiny ribbons tied across a horizontal branch form a curtain blowing in the breeze.

The fort gets abandoned for pogo sticks and scooters, swings, running around, and watering flowers, but eventually they return to rest, read, and build some more. I’m so glad for the long warm days and for the wonderful places for my children to run and play. Even more, I’m glad they are still so happy here running and playing. These days won’t last forever.