SET YOUR KIDS FREE FROM ‘HOUSE ARREST’
Can anyone think of a worse environment for children than a row of desks in a cinder-block building under fluorescent lights?
“It’s like kids live under house arrest, because we just don’t let them go outside much,” said Scott Sampson, president and CEO of Science World. “It’s like a huge experiment we’ve run on our kids over the past generation and it’s led to a massive increase in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”
And rather than fixing that problem by getting kids outside, we are giving them prescription drugs, he said. Some doctors have taken to writing “park prescriptions” for youngsters with ADHD and “it reduces symptoms tremendously.”
As school resumes, Sampson has a few ideas that will benefit kids physically, emotionally and intellectually. “The minute children step outside their heart rates slow, blood pressure drops, relaxation kicks in and it alleviates many of the symptoms of the ADHD,” he said. “Children outside tend to be more imaginative, they play longer in a natural environment versus a metal and plastic playground, let alone an indoor structure.”
Kids outdoors bully less and are more collaborative and creative, said Sampson, who argues that nearly every subject — from art to math — can be pursued “profitably” outdoors, at least part of the time. The Children and Nature Network curates relevant research as well as offering strategies for parents, educators and community leaders to leverage the restorative power of nature.
NEW HABITS
When we schedule our kids’ activities, homework time and music lessons, free play isn’t even on the list. If we value free play, we need to put it in the schedule. Sampson suggests committing 30 minutes three times a week and see if your kids aren’t happier and healthier. A family-nature club such as the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s WILD program is a great way to get kids out in a group. The adults can chat and have adult time, and the kids run around and play.
HUMMINGBIRD PARENT
We hear about helicopter parents who hover constantly around their kids so they don’t get hurt. Sampson suggests becoming a hummingbird parent, giving them as much space as you can, just darting in when trouble is afoot, which is rarely. “You’ll only be a few feet from your toddler, but as years go by, move further away,” he said. If kids are uncomfortable, they will move a bit closer.
LIFE IN NATURE IS A ‘CONTACT SPORT’
Let kids climb trees, run with sticks and build a fort. “Life in nature is a contact sport and kids can take it,” said Sampson. Cuts, bruises and broken bones will heal. There is far more risk in letting your child become a teen with no actual experience taking risks. “Teens’ brains are wired to take risks; better your kids get some practice or they won’t be good at surviving,” he explained. Kids in the Third World are playing with knives and fire by the time they are three. We don’t allow that until they are adults.
FREE-PLAY RULES
Let your kids define the activity. Between play dates and organized sports, kids hardly ever get to decide what to do. It’s critical for kids to use their imagination and make up their own games. “Never take your kids on a hike, always take them on an adventure,” Sampson said. “If you have a destination, their legs will give out in five minutes. Just get outside and see where it goes.”
BEBRAVE
Don’t be afraid to go outdoors with your kids because you don’t know much about nature. “You don’t have to be able to answer a single question about plants or animals to be a good mentor,” he said. You can easily answer a question about an interesting bird with another question. What do you think it is? How do you suppose it hunts for food? If they are still curious, they can look it all up when they get home. The inquiry itself will make a memory.