How can my kids experience nature when we live in a media-saturated city?

• June 14, 2012

Q: I live in a big city with my 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter, and I’ve noticed that children who live in such cities spend a lot of time playing on cement playgrounds and on the Web. I know that spending time in nature is good for children’s development, but how can we take advantage of that given where we live? Do we need to take them to the country to get those experiences?

—Nonplussed about nature, in São Paulo, Brazil

A: Dear Nonplussed,

Although the internet and playgrounds offer their own benefits, nature offers experiences and sensations that can’t be replicated in or replaced by any human-made environments. For example, being in nature can give children a sense of connectedness to the outside world—they can watch clouds morph or a butterfly moving from flower to flower, and they can watch things unfold that are outside their control. This is a great experience to have at any age. But getting outside can be a challenge in areas where there are safety concerns or few public green spaces.

A visit to somewhere with more accessible outdoor areas—whether a farm or a state park or a town square—can be a wonderful experience for a child, but you can also help her notice the nature right where she lives. Cities often have parks where children can explore and play. Children can also bring nature into the home by planting flowers in window boxes, tending a terrarium in their room, or taking care of pets.

Integrating safe outdoor spaces and indoor nature into any child’s life can help build her connection to nature, which supports health development. And it can help her learn to balance media time with the wonders of nature as she navigates through her modern world, no matter where she lives.

For more information and for tips on how to integrate nature into a child’s everyday life, check out:

• Children and Nature Network
• Outdoor Play Is Essential to Whole Child Development

Enjoy your media and use them wisely,
The Mediatrician®