We Care for What We Know and Love

The Case for Healing the Broken Bond between Children and Nature

Marti Erickson, Ph.D.Director Emerita, Harris Training Programs, U of M

Co-founder & Chair, Children & Nature NetworkCo-host, Mom Enough™, www.momenough.com

St. Croix River AssociationMay 11, 2012

Since the 1970s my work

has addressed these large

research questions:

What does it take to raise a child to become a healthy, caring, responsible, respectful adult?

Especially for a child in high-risk circumstances, what are the protective factors that will enable that child to thrive

and succeed?

Tipping the Balance Toward Promise

ProtectiveFactors

RiskFactors

Strong connections from the start

Tipping the Balance Toward Promise

ContributionCompetenceConnection

RiskFactors

But while my colleagues and I were studying these important risk and

protective factors, something dramatic was happening to children and families across America, and we weren’t paying

close enough attention!

I want to talk with you about that, in three parts:

What?

So what?

Now what?

Children stopped going outside!

• Decline in time spent playing outside (and shorter roaming radius)

• Decreased use of state & national parks

• Shift to structured, adult-directed activities when children are outside

What?

What stops children from playing outside?

• Parental fear

• Seductiveness of technology

• Shift to a reductionistic concept of learning

• Lack of access to natural environments (with significant disparities across different segments of the population)

So what?

Why does this matter? What are the benefits when children connect with nature?

• Better physical health

• Reduced stress and anxiety (for children & adults)

• Better concentration (note recent findings on ADHD)

• More cooperation, problem-solving and creativity

• Increased likelihood of being good stewards of the environment in adulthood

Now what?

What can you and I do to connect children and

nature? When, where and how do we begin?

The Children & NatureNetwork

Working to heal the broken

bond between children and nature

www.childrenandnature.org

Inspired by Richard Louv’s

book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our

Children from Nature Deficit Disorder

Now what?

Begin early!

The theory of biophilia:

Children have an innate attraction to natural things.

E.O. Wilson

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!

Starting early means we need to engage parents and grandparents.

But parents don’t want one more “should,”so how do we meet them where they are?

Connecting with natureserves parents’ needs!

• De-stress • Strengthen relationships

Together in nature,many benefits, no harmful

side effects!

See the world through new eyes!

“The only voyage of discovery… consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

Marcel Proust, 1923

Suggested parenting goals:

• Make outdoor experience a part of your child’sdaily life from infancy on

• Make outdoor experience a part of YOURdaily life

Note: near nature and small nature count. Simple is good!

Starting early also means we need to reach outto childcare providers and early childhood educators.

Return nature to schools, pre-K through 12th grade(recess, natural play areas, school gardens, outdoor learning centers)

• Nurture young “natural leaders” * Make it cool to be outside!

* Natural Leaders Network, an official program of C&NN…

…but also happeningin other previously existing programs

“Natural leaders” of all abilities atWilderness Inquiry in Minneapolis, MN

• Design communities to facilitate nature experience for ALL children

GreenwaysPocket parksCommunity gardensSafe public transportation to

nearby nature Leave no child inside!

“Whatever kids do is based on how adults have made the environment. Adults will control the government for the next 20 years. Kids do what adults allow them to do. Adults build highways that kids can’t cross to get to the forest. They make video games that keep kids inside. If adults provided better opportunities, kids would go out more.”

Simon, age 13

What can your organization do to connect children and families to

nature? • Provide transformational experiences in nature for people of all ages

• Promote the 3 Cs in nature (connection, competence and contribution)

• Engage parents and other caregivers to bridge children’s program experiences into their daily lives

• Partner with early childhood programs, schools and other community organizations

• Advocate for children’s health and learning through nature

How will YOU use thisinformation to give children the gift of a true connection

to nature?

To learn more, visitchildrenandnature.org

andmomenough.com