Benefits Spending Time in Nature for Children

This post is sponsored by Daniel’s Lawn and Tree Service. All opinions are my own.

Spending time in nature is just as important for kids today as it was before COVID-19. While the world isn’t looking the way we thought it would this summer, it certainly has changed our perspective of how we live in and outside of our homes. I, like many of you, had some family trips and long weekends planned for the summer. I imagined long days on the beach or having endless playdates in the backyard with neighbors. However, everything is different since COVID-19 began.

Plans have changed. We are adjusting our expectations. We are all working tirelessly to protect our kids and loved ones from this scary illness. Despite the need that many of us have to work from home, it’s still essential to try to spend time in nature as often as you can, especially our children. Time outdoors can be considered a form of self-care for us and for the children. For now, we might be confined to our backyard or a park nearby, but if that’s what we have to work with, then that is what we will do. Below are a few reasons to get yourself and your kids outside and spend some time in nature.

Learn to Appreciate Nature

It can be easy to have our children sit in front of a screen all day and observe the world go by, but wouldn’t it be even better to experience it themselves? Instead of learning from apps on their tablet about how to care for plants, allow them to explore and have hands-on experiences from the comfort of their own backyard. When a child walks in the woods, digs in soil, and watches animals run back and forth, they’ll understand the importance of nature and why we need to care for and protect our environment. An appreciation for nature can stick with them way beyond their young years and the skills they pick up about caring for the world around them.

Now, more than ever is the perfect time to spend some time creating the ideal outdoor space. If you have been planning to enhance your backyard, I’d suggest hiring a company that can bring in trees and plants not only to help you improve your space but also to allow for your kids to see first hand what it takes to remove a tree in their yard. The friendly staff at Daniel’s Lawn and Tree Service can not only bring in some new ideas to make your backyard more kid-friendly but also for landscape installation, maintenance, or just needing assistance with outdoor lighting. The tree removal service in New Castle County is one of the best, which could also be a life lesson for the kids to learn how to count the tree rings and see how old it is before it’s taken away.

Improves Physical Health

This might be super obvious, but one of the biggest reasons your children should spend some time outside in nature is that it makes them healthier. Have you heard of the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D? Vitamin D is produced in our skin in response to sunlight. While you can undoubtedly get vitamin D through diet, enjoying the sunshine is the easiest way to get it. Spending time in nature allows all of that and more. If they are playing solo or with others, they are burning off extra energy, refining their gross and fine motor skills, and getting aerobic exercise, they are enhancing their health. It doesn’t have to be a continuous game of tag with parents, as long as they are expending all of the extra energy they have.

Spending Time in Nature Improves Mental Health Too

Of course, being outside is excellent for our physical health, but what about mental health, which is just as important? For children that can’t hang out with their friends, sometimes spending time in nature may be the next best thing. A long-term health benefit is growing up with green spaces are linked to positive health outcomes. Having green spaces allow children to explore nature, learn about the outdoors, and show how much they know about the world around them.

One short term benefit is spending time in nature promotes creativity, as it will enable children to participate in unstructured play. Playing outdoors allows them to tap into their imaginations. Another benefit is spending time outdoors teaches responsibility. Plants that are mishandled or not cared for correctly will die. Plants that are cared for and cultivated will blossom or produce fruit. All of these lessons help children to understand that there are consequences and rewards for their actions.

There are several more benefits to why children really need to spend time outdoors. Now, while most of the United States is working from home and attending school from home, we need to incorporate outdoor time into our schedules. Go on long walks after dinner with your family, take a few breaks in between classes to stretch on the deck, or see a Go Noodle episode of silly dancing outside. Whatever it is that you can do, make sure that you are modeling the importance of being outdoors without your phone or tablet and let them explore from there. It will help you and them in the long run as we navigate this pandemic together.

How much time are you planning to spend outdoors in the coming months? Please let me know in the comment below.