Why children should spend time in nature and how to encourage that

“𝑊𝑒 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛

𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ，

𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛，

𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑑，

𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑔𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤，

𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙

－ 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 “

𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝐶𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑙

Children should spend time in nature for many reasons, including the following:

1. Physical health: Spending time in nature encourages children to engage in physical activity, such as hiking, climbing, or playing outdoor games. This can help improve their physical fitness, coordination, and balance.

2. Mental health: Nature can have a calming and soothing effect on children, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies have shown that exposure to nature can improve mood, reduce symptoms of ADHD, and improve overall mental health.

3. Cognitive development: Exposure to nature can stimulate a child's senses, encouraging curiosity and exploration, which can help with cognitive development. Nature-based learning can also improve attention span and cognitive function.

4. Creativity: Nature can inspire creativity in children. Playing in nature and creating art inspired by the natural world can help develop their imagination and creativity.

5. Environmental awareness: Spending time in nature can help children develop a lifelong appreciation and respect for the environment. They can learn about ecosystems, conservation, and the impact of human behavior on the natural world.

6. Social skills: Playing in nature can help children develop social skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Nature-based activities can also encourage children to work together and build social connections.

And here are some activities to get children closer to the nature:

1. Spend time in nature: Encourage your children to spend time outdoors in nature as much as possible. Take them on nature walks, camping trips, or just spend time in your backyard or local park. Children will learn to appreciate and connect with nature by spending time in it.

2. Encourage exploration: Allow your children to explore nature and learn about it firsthand. Provide them with opportunities to touch, smell, and observe the natural world around them. Encourage them to ask questions and discover the answers themselves.

3. Gardening: Gardening is a great way to teach children about nature and responsibility. Involve your children in planting, watering, and harvesting their own plants. This will give them a sense of ownership and responsibility for their natural surroundings.

4. Outdoor activities: Encourage your children to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, or fishing. These activities not only teach children about nature but also promote physical activity and exercise.

5. Books and educational materials: Provide your children with books and educational materials about nature. This will help them learn about different plants, animals, and ecosystems, and encourage them to explore and learn more.

Overall, spending time in nature provides children with numerous benefits, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, cognitive development, creativity, environmental awareness, and social skills. By incorporating these practices into your child's life, you can help them develop a lifelong connection to nature and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Happy World Environment Day 2022 🌎

With love and gratitude,

𝒶𝓃𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓈𝓁𝑒𝓎

www.annewesley.com

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𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙, 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙, 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 , 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙮𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩