You know where to find kids nowaday, no no not outdoors, not in nature but before the screens. Kids nowadays show more interest in their mobile phones, TV screens, and computers, rarely they can be seen outdoors and with nature.
In 2005, Richard Louv came up with the term “Nature Deficit Disorder” which means that kids have a disorder where they avoid going outdoors, within nature.
Kids need to spend time in nature because of so many reasons. Some of them are mentioned below.
1. Promotes mental health
Kids need to spend time with nature as this would improve their mental health. Playing indoor games, being in front of the screens all the time, playing video games, and being on social media has increased anxiety and depression among children.
Researchers say that kids need to spend time in nature as this would make them feel happier and less depressed and also they won’t feel anxiety. Being on the screens all the time has changed their point of view towards life and they find the virtual world as the real one.
Being with nature also reduces the risk of cancer, improves blood pressure, and provides you with good mental health.
2. Promotes physical health
We all know what roles do physical activities play in the growth of our physical health. Playing outside, going for hiking in the woods, being in nature develops motor skills among the children, and also improve their sight and enhances their sleep.
It also promotes the growth of their bodies. This helps in the proper growth of their height and weight. Kids sitting before their screens are most likely to not maintain a healthy weight and face problems in their growth. Kids need to spend time in nature for the proper development of their physical health.
3. Empathy towards nature
Kids who play outside or are within nature are most likely to protect nature as they develop a sense of empathy towards nature. They see nature as its friend and they will never want anyone to destroy it. They will also develop a sense of empathy towards fellow humans and living beings be it animals or birds. They will never try to harm anything or anybody. This sense of empathy is really important for one’s overall growth. Kids need to spend time with nature as then they will make protecting nature as their priority and will always be even in adulthood.
4. Better psychosocial health
The kids who spend more time with nature and outdoors have good psychosocial health and also good friendships. They interact more with real people instead of virtual people. They have control over their aggression and anger. They try to find ways to enjoy with their fellow mates. On the contrary, children spending more time on their screens tend to develop aggression and anger as part of their behaviour, they also have a problem in coping with the real world.
Kids need to spend time with nature for the development of psychosocial health which would be helpful for a lifetime.
5. Fosters creativity
Being within nature enhances our creativity. Remember how in childhood we used to be creative about our games, we always tried to build new games for playing.
Being indoors all the time and playing indoor games or being on the screen all the time hinders the creativity of a child’s mind. They get to play some games all the time and how can they be creative while playing video games.
For the development of a good creative mind, kids need to spend time with nature and outdoors.
6. Development of curiosity
Being with nature develops curiosity among the kids of knowing their surroundings, knowing about nature, knowing more about the people around you and their behaviours.
This curiosity is really important for the development of a child’s mind, it must be curious enough for the proper growth, if they are not curious to know about the nature they will never find it interesting. Nature has so much to offer, which can develop curiosity even in adults while kids are curious by behaviour.
Kids need to spend time with nature to develop a sense of curiosity.
7.Building Confidence
There is a lot to interact with nature. Kids interact with people around and their friends and this builds confidence within them.
Confidence is one of the most important things one needs in life to survive. If the person is confident enough they can face any situation in life. If this confidence is built at a young age it is even better.
Kids need to spend time with nature as it helps in the development of confidence among them.
8. Independence
As a child goes outside to explore alone or with a friend, they develop a sense of independence. They won’t be dependent on parents for little things. They can go out on their own. Little things like making playing freely, or choosing whom to play with help in developing a sense of independence and building of decision-making abilities.
These qualities will further help the child in life. For the development of independence, the kids need to spend time with nature and outdoors.
9. Active life
Being in nature or outdoors will surely make the child more and more active. They will play outdoor games which would make them run, jump, walk and hop. These activities will make child active and active lifestyle is really necessary for overall growth.
Sitting in front of screens, being on phones, playing video games or indoor games will never make a child active instead it would turn their lifestyle to a passive one, which would surely hinder the growth of the kids. A child must be active.
For the development of an active lifestyle, kids must spend time with nature.
10. Strength
Kids who play outside or are within nature are more strong physically, mentally and even emotionally. They are strong physically because they have an active and productive lifestyle. They develop good immunity because of the large exposure they get. They are strong mentally because they are not stressed or they do not have anxiety. They are strong emotionally as they have an idea about human behaviour and they don’t get upset over little things.
Kids need to spend time with nature for the development of the mental, physical and emotional strength.
Parents to should pay great attention to the fact that their child needs to go outdoors and be with nature for a long time. The child needs to get out the virtual world involving social media, video games, TV and computers. This would help in the overall growth of the child.