Research Highlights Positive Links Between Children and Nature
Increasing the time children spend outdoors is one of the most significant benefits of accessible urban parklands. Recent research and writings, such as Richard Louv's The Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, highlight the value of unstructured time in the outdoors. Whether it is through exercise, promotion of cognitive development, or simple relaxation, recent research highlights the value of getting kids outdoors. At the same time, other research demonstrates that our children are spending less time out of doors, and that rates of obesity and diabetes are soaring.
One of our most fundamental hopes is that the provision of new recreational opportunities, so much a part of our master plan, will help provide children and their parents with exciting opportunities to spend time outdoors. Two great resources for parents and educators interested in this issue are the Children and Nature Network, which provides links to research and resources on this topic. Parents magazine recently published an excellent article with ideas for parents, which can be found at the following link: Parents Magazine Offers Ideas for Outdoor Time. In the future, we will continue to provide resources for parents and educators related to opportunities for reconnecting children with nature.