Enjoying nature with little ones
‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ is a relatively new term in the parenting world. This term was coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods. It refers to the trend that children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of issues from a lack of respect for the environment, childhood obesity, and behavioural issues (attention disorders and depression).
Allow your child to make friends with the ‘real’ world. Here are some ideas to help:
• Make your own garden a little haven: create a small veggie patch for your child, or even a few pots. In summer it is lovely to fill a little watering can with the left over bath water, your child can then sprinkle on the garden or pots (the wonders of a growing plant);
• Place a little bird feeder in the garden too, children love to feed the birds (and put out their left over unpopular crusts!);
• Hold a teddybears’ picnic in your garden or local park, to spend lunch time on a blanket on grass is a wonderful thing;
• Buy toys for Christmas and birthdays that are conducive to outdoors: a kite, bug catcher, a little picnic basket, balls, gardening equipment, a play tent and sand toys. For yourself, buy a special family picnic set and aim to use it (note: this is a reminder to me).
• Choose a weekly family rhythm to visit a place in nature; it may be the river to watch the ducks, the beach for some digging fun, the gardens to play
• National Parks are national treasures (find out your local ones): simple holidays in cabins and tents can be such an adventure for little children. Children often like to visit the same holiday spot over and over as a family favourite (tee up with friends for a joint adventure).
The ‘real’ wonders of the world for children are not plastic, electronic, or plugged in. These items can often distance your child from ‘real’ relationships and the natural world. Make space in your family life this warmer month to roll down a hill, dig to China, picnic on the grass, watch a bug, smell the late spring flowers, and breathe slowly the fresh air together!
Lou Harvey-Zahra
Lou Harvey-Zahra is a mother or two, teacher and author of the parenting book ‘Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline for the Toddler and Preschool Years’. For more parenting tips go to www.skiptomylouparenting.com
