Tips – Kids Discover Nature

Connecting to Nature Through Photography

by MCC

A great way to involve your kids with nature is to encourage them to take photos of what they see. There is no need to invest a huge amount of money into a camera for them. You can give them a hand-me-down point and shoot camera that you no longer use. If you don’t have an old camera and don’t wish to make an investment in a kid’s camera, you could start off with a one-time use camera to determine whether your child has any interest. A old smart phone would work. Many kids have one these days. Even a toy camera would work with tiny kiddos.

You can begin by walking around outside and pointing at interest things. Your backyard, no matter the size, offer interesting subject matter. You can say “wow, look at that,” and snap a photo with whatever you are using. Then your child can copy you. Once they have practiced with you, they can go off and hunt around and find their own subjects of interest. Insects are a popular subject. They are easy to find and — ants are ever popular!

As your children grow, you might be surprised by the artistry and imagination behind the photos they take. You might consider encouraging them to submit photos for to contests, post photos to their own blog, and even join community photo displays. When photographing animals, here are some tips:

Focus on the eyes of an animal. Make sure that the animal’s eyes are in focus – properly focused eyes capture the viewer’s attention.
Include the environment around the subject. Photograph the animal in its environment instead of zooming in close. Showing the surrounding area tells a story.
Be respectful of wildlife. Never get too close to animals. If your presence is changing their behavior, you should back away.
Don’t forget to pack their cameras for vacations! Why not give them a tool to help them create their own family memories!

It would be fun to see photos your kids have taken. Head on over to our Instagram account @KidsDiscoverNature and share photos with the entire KDN community. Thank you for joining us there!

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Rain, rain go away….

by MCC

Let’s go out and play anyway!

It has been raining a lot this fall. There was a week of beautiful weather, which allowed a lot of outside play time, but now it’s raining again. It’s easy to enjoying every moment of time spent in nature when the weather is nice, but when it’s drizzly it is definitely a challenge. Sometimes you just have to put on your rain hats, boots and raincoats and head out. One you do, you may not take long for before your kids discover that a pile of dirt makes a great slide. Up and down they’ll on their bottoms and their bellies. Try not to stop them because you worry that they will ruin their clothes and watch the fun ensue. That’s what play clothes are for anyway!

Another great rainy day activity is puddle jumping. Make some fun with the puddles collecting in the yard and around the neigborhood. Your kids will have a blast getting soaked up to their chests while jumping into them. You may not have thought much about this, but puddles offer a terrific learning experience for children. You can discuss with them how puddles are formed from rain, what happens when you splash in them and what happens to them after it stops raining. You can also find things to toss into puddles and things to float on top. Try finding natural objects around your yard such as stones, leaves, grass, pinecones and flowers. Discuss what happens to each one when you throw them in the puddle. Sort them into piles and ask your children guess what will happen to each item – some float and some sink. You can have a great time testing the various objects over and over again. You will be amazed by how something so simple can keep kids mesmerized.

Before long, an hour or more may pass before you realize you are all soaked and muddy. You’ll burst inside laughing about how wet you are and then enjoy changin into our dry, cozy clothes.

Your son or daughter may not remember this time you spent together, but you may never forget it. That’s the thing about spending time in nature. The memories you create while being out there last a lifetime.

Research

10 Reasons Why Kids Should Play Outside

by MCC

This is one of the original, and most popular, articles posted on the Kids Discover Nature website when it was first launched back in 2009. Though the research utilized is dated, it is still applicable today. In fact, there have been hundreds of research articles posted online since 2009 on the topic and the results are most often the same. Nature and the outdoors have an undeniable, positive effect on the health and well-being of children.

(Updated 10/2021) You hear it in the news a lot …the important role nature plays in the well-being of children. Intuitively, it makes sense. Running around outside, breathing fresh air, using muscles to jump and climb. But, is there actually proof that shows time in nature positively effects children and their growth and well-being?

I decided to do some research. After searching on Google for less than one minute, I found links to the Children & Nature Network (C&NN) and it’s research library. I found enough to research to keep me reading for the next several weeks. .

After reading some of the research, I feel that in nature, my children are in good hands. I feel a certain sense of “thank you God!” In a world that is increasingly stressful, fast-paced, overwhelming and sometimes deranged, I am thankful to have a place to turn that can nurture and care for me and my children with no strings attached. It costs no money…only time, if we make it. The amazing thing is that it is always there waiting, beckoning, and sometimes pleading for us to to come and play in it and experience all it has to offer.

Below is a synopsis of the 10 main points I learned from my research. Below each heading is the source. There are a multitude of other studies cited and paraphrased on CNN’s website. If you have interest in the topic beyond what I have listed below, I encourage you to peruse their library. The information available is impressive and quite interesting.

1. K-12 students participating in environmental education programs at school do better on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and social studies.

Sources:
Abrams, K.S. (1999). Summary of project outcomes from Environmental Education and Sunshine State Standards schools’ final report data. Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books. (p. 206) Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books. (p. 206)

2. Children and adults find it easier to concentrate and pay attention after spending time in nature.
Sources:
Wells, N.M. (2000). At home with nature: Effects of “greenness” on children’s cognitive functioning. Environment and Behavior 32: 775-795.
Hartig, T., Mang, M., & Evans, G.W. (1991). Restorative effects of natural environment experiences. Environment and Behavior 23: 3-26.

3. Nature provides a rich source of hands-on, multi-sensory stimulation, which is critical for brain development in early childhood.
Source:
Rivkin, M.S. Natural Learning.

4. Children’s play is more creative and egalitarian in natural areas than in more structured or paved areas.
Source:
Faber Taylor, A., Wiley, A., Kuo, F.E. & Sullivan, W.C. (1998). Growing up in the inner city: Green spaces as places to grow. Environment and Behavior 30(1): 3-27.

5. Living in “high nature conditions” buffers children against the effects of stressful life events.
Source:
Wells, N. & Evans, G. (2003). Nearby nature: A buffer of life stress among rural children. Environment and Behavior 35: 311-330.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books.

6. Views of nature reduce stress levels and speed recovery from illness, injury or stressful experiences.
Sources:
Frumkin, H. (2001). Beyond toxicity: Human health and the natural environment. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 20(3): 234-240.
Louv, R. (2005). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. New York: Algonquin Books.

7. The ultimate raw material for much of human intellect, emotion, personality, industry, and spirit is rooted in a healthy, accessible, and abundant natural environment.
Source:
Kellert, Stephen R. (2005). Building for Life: Designing and Developing the Human-Nature Connection.Washington: Island Press.

8. Access to nature nurtures self discipline.
Source: Faber Taylor, A., Kuo, F.E., & Sullivan, W.C. (2002). Views of Nature and Self-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22, 49-63.

9. Nearby Nature Boosts Children’s Cognitive functioning.
Source: Wells, N.M. At Home with Nature: Effects of “Greenness” on Children’s Cognitive Functioning. Environment and Behavior. Vol. 32, No. 6, 775-795.

10. Children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or attention-deficit disorder (ADD) showed reduce symptoms after playing in natural areas.
Source:
Kuo, F.E. & Faber Taylor, A. (2004). A potential natural treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: evidence from a national study. American Journal of Public Health 94(9):1580-1586.

News

Two Reasons to Spend Saturday Outdoors

by MCC

There are two good reasons to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather this weekend — Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing Day and also National Public Lands Day. The purpose of these celebrations is to encourage families to spend time in the outdoors while learning about and caring for our national heritage at the same time.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is always celebrated on the fourth Saturday in September. The federally recognized day brings together sportsmen and women from across America to celebrate the rich tradition of hunting, sport shooting and fishing through organized local, state and national events aimed at introducing new audiences to the outdoors. National Hunting and Fishing day events are taking place all over the country and you can easily find one near you by checking checking out the official NHF Day website. Many offer opportunities to fish, hunt, target shoot or participate in workshops, contests, learn outdoor and camping skills, see live birds of prey and much, much, more.

National Public Lands Day is a celebration of our nations public lands. Each year, for the past 16 years, citizens of this country “lend a hand to the lands” that we use to hike, bike, climb, swim, fish, hunt, explore or picnic and just plain relax. One third of America’s land is in public hands, and it’s our duty to maintain them. An estimated 130,000 volunteers will grab shovels and gloves to improve the nation’s public lands on every fourth Saturday of September as part of National Public Lands Day, an annual event held at over 2,000 sites across the country. Not only is it a chance for you and your family to tour a well-known park and or monument but it is also a great lesson in stewardship, volunteerism and responsibility for your kids.

Birds

5 Resources to Attract Wildlife to Your Yard

by Editorial Staff

Spring is around the corner! Now is the time to start planning for when you and your kids will be outside enjoying fun in the yard. Families will be again be spending a lot of time in their own yard this spring, so it’s the perfect opportunity to increase engagement with wildlife, insects, birds, frogs, and many other critters. There are 100’s of strategies you can employ to attract interesting critters to your yard and there is a plethora of information available to help you do it. Your effort will be rewarding by not only hours of enjoyment outside but will provide an easily accessible opportunity to connect your kids to wildlife and teach them about nature

Below are several resources that provide helpful ideas and instructions on how to plan your yard and gardens. It is important to plan ahead and choose plants, shrubs, and other installations that work well for attracting wildlife.

Your state wildlife agency website. You will find guidance on appropriate trees, shrubs, and plants. You can find list of the different species of wildlife that live in your area.
The National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat Program provides tons of great information on how to attract wildlife whether you “have an apartment balcony or 20-acre farm.” You can even qualify to become a certified wildlife habitat.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service provides basic planning and a helpful list specific plants and trees to plant specifically to attract birds.
The American Horticultural Society provides a to state master gardener associations. The state associations maintain a list of master gardeners and can provide contact information to those who do business in your area. A master gardener is a specialist and thoroughly trained to help you design, plan and install a garden. Many have a special interest in being ecologically sensitive and are trained accordingly.
The National Audubon Society has resources dedicated to helping you design a bird-friendly yard. Its website provides advice and how-to tips on using native plants to attract wildlife, with a special emphasis on birds, of course!

Now is a great time to do some research, put a pencil to paper and start planning. Getting your kids involved at the planning stage is a great way to engage them and teach the process. Plus, they will have some terrific ideas on what they would like to see in the yard.

If you have helpful resources you would like to share, please share in the comments.

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