Connecting Children With Nature: Ensuring the Future of Conservation

Authors: Jennifer Johnson

Year: 2010 (xlii)

Abstract

Go Outside and Play’ most of us remember hearing those four little words throughout our childhood. It is hard for us to imagine childhood without memories of climbing trees, exploring the neighborhood, or just watching the clouds. Research demonstrates that a child’s experience with nature, especially before the age of 11, shapes their attitude and behaviors toward nature as an adult. For many kids today, however, exploring nature is fast becoming a thing of the past. Time in the woods has been replaced by time in front of a computer or television screen; unstructured play has been replaced by organized events run by adults; the art of day dreaming has been replaced by a non-stop schedule. Doctors warn for the first time in American history, life expectancy may actually decrease because of the health impacts of the current childhood obesity epidemic. Playing outdoors and environmental education have been shown to help improve the health of children and increase scores on standardized tests. If we want conservation in the future, we have to have future conservationists. It is up to us, in the natural resources profession, to help keep the child in nature from becoming extinct.