5 benefits of children’s much exposure to nature

1. Nature impacts overall child development

In the early Eighties, Edward O. Wilson, a Harvard naturalist coined the term biophilia. It stated that humans are instinctively drawn towards their natural surroundings. Research suggests that children have this tendency at its peak in early years of life. In Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv brought to light how children were the most impacted by the lack of nature around them which he termed as “nature deficit disorder.” Meghna Yadav, Child Psychologist and Head of Training, KLAY says, “Less exposure to nature during the developmental years of a child’s life – especially during the years of 2-6 – can be detrimental. Stress, anxiety, higher rates of obesity and ADHD are some of the effects that have been studied in children who are not surrounded by nature. Its benefits, on the other hand, are boundless. Nature creates an environment of learning, creativity and stimulation for a child’s mind that no other artificially created/man made environment can. Hence, it is crucial we surround children with nature to boost their development and connect them to their surroundings.” Here are 5 ways nature benefits children:

2. Nature enhances the attention span of children

Children have faced trouble paying attention in the classroom, more so after the pandemic. Being confined in four walls of classrooms may cause early exhaustion to a child’s brain. Concrete surroundings might be detrimental in enhancing the attention span of children as limited movement in class is found to be exhausting for a child’s growing brain.

To redirect the brain’s focus and bring back attention in class, natural environments can play a big role. Parks and gardens in schools stimulate the child’s brain to release happy hormones, where a child can effortlessly reduce the stress of concrete classrooms. Just a window in the classroom that overlooks trees is found to be helpful in allowing the children to take a break, re-energize and restore their attention.

3. De-stressing through nature

Children are sensitive to changes at times. As children learn to stabilize emotions with every change with support and assistance from their parents and teachers, nature can also help them destress and become resilient over time. Further, taking children to green spaces occasionally can help them improve their responses and ability to adapt to stressful situations. Having interactions with nature allows them to see, hear, smell, and touch outdoor environments, activating their senses and relaxing their minds.

4. Nature supports discipline in life

Yadav says, “Discipline is the stepping stone to the development of good habits. These practices carry a child forward in making them emotionally and socially mature adults. Hence, it is important for a child to have a disciplined life so that they can learn to manage time. Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan’s study on the correlation between nature and self-discipline in children concluded that natural environments improve concentration, inhibit impulses and delay gratification in children.”Learning to regulate their actions and behaviours, children improve their impulse controls and develop a better understanding of right from wrong. By understanding and learning to exercise self-control, children also learn how to be responsible.

5. Nature brings happiness

Research shows that children enjoy classes outdoors, especially as it gets them more involved with nature, and motivates them to be physically active. The kinesthetic movements in open and natural surroundings release happy hormones called endorphins that boosts laughter, excitement and happiness. Interacting with natural environments allows children to learn by doing, and encourages them to experiment with ideas. This experiential learning is found to stay longer in a child’s brain and also acts as a catalyst to take initiative in group settings.

6. Nature promotes socialisation

For a child to learn better, the social and physical environment makes a huge difference. Being outdoors gives children the time to engage with their surroundings and also develop relationships with their peers and teachers. By enhancing their social and emotional skills through meaningful interactions with each other, their learning improves. Thinking freely in nature and approaching studying in their own way, helps them create and invent methods to absorb and comprehend knowledge, boosting their creativity.“In summary, incorporating nature into preschools and daycares is a great way to rejuvenate a child’s mind in between classes. By doing so, the child’s psychological well-being is boosted making them calmer, cheerful and bright. Giving importance to natural environments in a child’s development, aids their social, emotional and mental well-being. It also gives them the delight of learning, growing and thriving in nature,” according to Yadav.