Being in nature with your children doesn’t have to be extravagant. Even frequent exploring of your backyard or a local park can provide immense benefits as well as the occasional camping or hiking trip to big national parks and more rugged wilderness.
Being in nature benefits children and adults alike by:
- lowering stress hormones and encouraging calm and relaxation
- improving short term memory and reducing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- having a positive effect on psychological well-being and social bonding
Here are some activities you can do to help your children connect with nature:
- wonder with no particular goal or timeline
- find a “sit spot” (close to home that that you will actually use it) to sit at daily and observe with all your senses
- journaling with words or sketches
- look for animal tracks and follow them
- pay attention to bird language
- gather nature items to display in your home
- get your children to tell you stories of their outdoor adventures
