The Impact of Technology on Today's Youth: Get your Kid's Outdoors
Dodge-ball, hide-n-seek, water fights, climbing trees, all activities that invoke freedom in a child and the urge to pursue adventure. Today, we see more video game playing, TV watching and screen time. This impacts children and their imagination, relationships and future. Some may not see it as a significant impact on our children, but the increase in technology and the increase in new advancements in video games will have a major impact on their future. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids spend approximately 53 hours a week on electronics.
The effects to not introducing a child to the outdoors impacts their lives. They can become less aware of the world around them and distance themselves from taking in nature. Having some influence that can help them get inspired to enjoy the outdoors will enable them to reach a higher potential and possible learn more about themselves.
Louv, the author of the bestsellers Last Child in the Woods (2005) and The Nature Principle (2011), coined the term "nature-deficit disorder" to describe the loss of connection children increasingly feel with the natural world. Nature-deficit disorder is not a clinically recognized condition, he explains, but rather a term to evoke a loss of communion with other living things. Nevertheless, he argues, nature-deficit disorder affects "health, spiritual well-being, and many other areas, including [people's] ability to feel ultimately alive." (See "The Nature-Deficit Disorder and How It Is Impacting Our Natural World.")This isn't about just getting kids outdoors, its about opening them up to a more vibrant and natural world. There are more things to see and experience in their backyard than they could ever experience on computers. In order for generations to come to live more well rounded and more fulfilling lives we need to start teaching our children to enjoy the outdoors.
There are activities that kids can do outside to inspire, invoke adventure and perhaps help them grow their imagination.
Below are just some quick summer activities that I came up with. Use your imagination and let the outdoor fun begin!
- Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
- Make a list of things for the children to find and let them loose in the backyard.
- It will be fun to watch them run around crossing things off the list.
- Water Balloon Toss
- Fill up water balloons and let them have fun trying to toss into buckets from various spots in the yard.
- Sprinkler Freeze Tag
- Use a water sprout on the edge of a hose
- Once someone gets "tagged" by the water, they are frozen.
- Create your very own Water Slide
- Get a tarp and a hose and have some fun
- Fishing at a Lake or Pond
- Have them help plan a day trip to a local fishing hole
No matter what it is, just have fun and let the kids enjoy the outdoors. It will benefit them for years to come.
1 comment:
This post has me wound up!!!
Michael’s reference to our vibrant and natural world has really hit me.
Let's get the word out.
Please reduce the “nature deficit” in your kid’s lives this summer!
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