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by Peg L. Smith, Chief
Executive Officer
What have we forgotten? As I continue to explore
today's new parent profile, I fear we have
forgotten that for generations, children grew
up outside. We rode our bikes around the neighborhood
and splashed around in creeks. We ran barefoot
in the grass and climbed trees. Childhood was
characterized by innocence, imagination, energy,
wonder, and laughter. Frankly, the thought of
being cooped up inside all day long was unfathomable
and torturous.
Today's kids and families
are missing out on nature. Recent research shows
that the amount of time U.S. children spend outside
has declined by 50 percent in the last two decades
alone. On average children currently spend 5.5
hours a day plugged into some kind of electronic
medium. The media tells them repeatedly they
should be afraid to go outdoors and be fearful
of others.
Play is developmental. Play has a
critical role in helping children transition
to adulthood. Nature and play go hand in hand
and, together, they have a profound impact on
the health and development of children. If we
eliminate both, I believe we will witness a new "failure
to thrive" syndrome not in infants but
in our adolescents. We may be able to take children
out of nature, but we can't change their
connection to nature without consequences.
There
is mounting evidence that forcing "adulthood" prematurely
on children limits opportunities for spontaneity
and innocence nurtured in both play and nature.
Connections to nature frees a child to explore
and discover the world around them. Play helps
a child "practice life" and to think
for themselves outside of the confines of home
and school. We might, in fact, be witnessing
impacts on children as a result of losing opportunities
to play and enjoy nature. For instance, according
to the American Public Health Association, "The
retreat indoors for many American children has
environmental advocates worried that children
who grow up without memories of fishing in a
local stream or hiking through idyllic woods
might become adults for whom conserving the environment
isn't a priority." Are we also adding
the very essence of childhood to the extinction
list as we continually deny children their inalienable
right to be children?
I say yes we are, and it
may be time that we create "A Field Guide
to Preserving Childhood." We need to start
by making the reader aware of the importance
of preserving childhood and the benefits of doing
so. Children will flourish emotionally, physically,
spiritually, and academically if the key elements
of childhood are preserved. Key elements such
as playing games, using the imagination, taking
calculated risks, exploring, reflecting, and
negotiating are all essential components of childhood.
We would explain that it takes courage to hold
on tightly to childhood when everyday influences
urge kids to grow up too quickly. We will need
to give children and their parents permission
to let kids be kids. We will need to include
a call to action asking parents to switch off
the TV and actively seek out nature by sending
their children to camp. We need to realize the
most important computer children have is their
brain. Memory is the storage space found in the
brain. We need to fill that space with memories
of a lifetime, recognizing that what is truly
remembered are those times when you are actively
involved and engaged. Play and nature are not
passive — childhood is not passive. Take
off your shoes and go for a walk with a young
person!
Originally published
in the 2008 November/December issue of Camping
Magazine.
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