“Now I see the secret of the making of the best person. It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the Earth.” —Walt Whitman
Since our children were babies we have been taking them camping and hiking. We have enjoyed many wonderful experiences during our family adventures. The look on our son’s face when he climbed his first mountain. The first time our second son slept through the night was in our tent at Eklutna Lake. Other times things did not go so well—such as the summer we took the kids camping on an island off Door Peninsula in Wisconsin and forgot all the flashlights. Our daughter was 9 months old and all we had was a small pen light. Changing a dirty diaper in a tent late at night with a pen light does not yield good results. But that is how family lore is born—the stories that we love to tell over and over again and are woven into the fabric of our family’s identity.
Our outdoor experiences are evolving as our children grow older. With a small yard, we’ve taken to hiking at a few of our favorite parks and trails where there is more space for the kids to roam and explore. Hiking with children is a completely different experience than when you’re on your own. It’s slow going and we stop all the time. It takes us twice as long to cover half the distance. One kid is running ahead to see what is up around the bend while another is way behind, caught up in examining an interesting tree. Someone always has to stop to pee in the woods. If there is a water feature along the way it must have rocks thrown into it. We all end up with pockets full of pebbles, dirt, leaves, acorns, and twigs. And usually, by the time we’re back at the car, we all feel better than when we started.
The peace and happiness that (usually) follows our outdoor time is why we have worked hard to weave nature into our daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms. In addition to what we know to be true is the abundance of research illustrating the wide variety of benefits nature has a child’s overall health and wellbeing. From increased self esteem and confidence to improved social skills, ability to compromise, collaborate, and cooperate. Children who spend time in nature show enhanced empathy, flexibility, self-awareness, and self-regulation. As they develop a deeper connection to nature they grow more curious and develop a sense of environmental stewardship for the land. Additionally, children who spend time outside develop stronger cognitive skills by improving awareness, reasoning, and observation skills. As parents and teachers we’ve all seen the benefits nature has on our children—they’re happier and healthier, play better with each other, and sleep better after a day spent outside.
So take a few children (either yours or borrow a few) and wander about in the woods. Take time to examine interesting plants, trees and insects. Search for fairy glens and gnome holes. Be still and listen for birds. Soak in the woods. Explore. Geocache.