Eco April: Spend Sunday Outdoors, Experiencing Nature’s Superpower
By Jessica George, OSU Extension, 4-H Program Assistant, 4-H Youth Development, Erie County
Image source: https://pixabay.com/
Was it a spot in the woods? How about a climbing tree down the street? Maybe the shady cover of your trampoline? For me, it was a hidden corner behind a bush on the north side of my garage. That was my safe space to explore everything about the world, or what my 6-year-old-self thought was the whole world. I would turn over the large rocks that had been discarded by my parents to find a world of creatures to explore and discover. Behind that bush, I experienced nature in a whole new way. I felt free to let my curiosity lead behind that bush, free to engage with the objects around me, free to touch, smell, listen, look.
Nature’s Superpowers
Why is it that nearly 30 years later I still think about that special space behind my garage? Well, I believe that nature has some serious superpowers and what 6-year-old doesn’t love some superpowers! Research continues to show that creating opportunities for young people to be outdoors improves their chance of future health and success. Spending time in nature contributes to physical, mental, and emotional health. Psychologists have been actively researching the role nature plays in children’s mental health since the early 1980s with numerous studies revealing that outdoor activities are essential for developing minds. The benefits that nature offers us are abundant, but we must get out and experience them!
So grab the little people in your life and spend some time outside today. Take a walk in the woods, explore the different animals living in your neighborhood, spend some time observing the sky, sit and listen to a creek flow. With all that nature has to offer us, we’d better get out and explore it! The future of our planet depends on it. Literally!
Research shows a link between a youth’s experiences in nature and their attitudes and behaviors toward nature later in life. A 2006 study published in Children, Youth and Environments (Vol. 16, No. 1) by Nancy M. Wells, Ph.D., suggests that building a connection to nature during childhood may lead to adult environmentalism. If we want to build up a generation of youth committed to environmental consciousness, we need to start by engaging them in nature and helping them experience nature’s superpowers!
Image source: https://content.thriveglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/pexels-photo-346796.jpeg
Need an idea to get started? Try our Spend Sunday Outdoors: Environmental Scavenger Hunt Lesson.
Looking for a place to explore? Check out TrailLink to find an Ohio Hiking Trail near you!
TAKE ACTION TODAY: Show your love for the outdoors even when you are indoors by greening up your home: recycle, conserve water, use renewable power when possible, switch to LED bulbs.
Post References
Environmental Explorer Scavenger Hunt Lesson
Spending Time in Nature Makes People Feel More Alive
Peer-reviewed Travis West, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Vinton County, and by Meghan Thoreau, OSU Extension Educator, Community Development & STEM, Pickaway County.
