FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY OUTDOORS
More information can be found in the registration pack
Darcia Narvaez Ph.D.:
Recent studies tell us why indoor play is detrimental to children’s growth. Outdoors, a child learns on multiple levels with each new adventure (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005). With all of the imaginary castles, lands, creatures, the brain develops at a much faster rate than for those who play indoors. There are numerous effects. Not only do they become better learners, and do well in school, but they are more fun to be around (i.e. they make more friends)--everyone wants to play with the kid with the active imagination! Consequently, children will be much happier because, hey, they’re smart and they have a lot of friends. All of this comes from just playing outside; you can bake many loaves in the same oven.
Study from Personal and Environmental Associations with Children's Health (PEACH) project:
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...As statistics show that childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, many after school programs have pushed for greater physical activity, particularly outdoors...
The Guardian
...“Young kids that learn and play outside get direct experience of weather and the seasons and wildlife – things that are only possible outdoors – and they get to assess risks, solve problems and develop creativity,” said Lucy Hellier, WWT learning project manager. “The benefits may seem obvious, but in reality many children don’t get to be outdoors in a natural environment in any regular or meaningful way. And that’s even more common among kids from deprived areas....”
The Guardian
.."This report is groundbreaking stuff. Millions of people are increasingly worried that today's children have less contact with nature than ever before, but until now there has been no robust scientific attempt to measure and track connection to nature among children in the UK, which means the problem hasn't been given the attention it deserves...
