"We can never have enough of Nature."

Is it weird I've been thinking of going back to school for a degree in Forestry?

Nevermind...

I've been reading this book, by Richard Louv:

It's a fascinating look at the deficit so many of our children face when it comes to Nature. I have been enjoying it immensely, and largely because it backs up so much of what my spirit has been telling me--that Nature is good for the soul--and good for so much more. 

Here are a few tidbits that Louv shares in his book, statistics from studies that have been performed across the world in a variety of ways:

*Children who are exposed to more natural play report lower levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and are often calmer in school settings. (This is spectral--the kids with the least exposure to Nature have the highest levels of stress/depression/anxiety, and even in rural settings, those with the most free range and space in Nature have the least.) 

*Children who have access to play in Nature have twice as many friends as those whose access to Natural play is restricted by traffic.

*Children who play in Nature are generally more creative, and are better problem solvers. 

*Children who have more Nature near their homes rate themselves higher in scales of self-worth.

All these things are backed up by quantitative data, and the anecdotal evidence is strong as well.

Richard Louv is the co-founder of the Children and Nature Network, and while visiting their site, I came across this:

April has been deemed Child and Nature Awareness Month. Lucky me, the weather has been cooperating and we've been enjoying nature quite a bit already! 

So, even though April is almost over, join me in celebrating what Nature can do for our kiddos. 

Here are some fun resources I have found and have been using recently with the beautiful weather:

http://kindernature.storycounty.com/default.aspx

http://www.naturerocks.org/

http://www.naturenet.com/ParentsThingsToDoOutside.htm

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749599

http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There/Activities/Observe-and-Explore.aspx

http://www.arborday.org/kids/

Don't forget, Earth Day is Thursday, April 22nd! I haven't quite decided how we'll celebrate yet, so if you have fun plans, please share!