Immerse Your Kids in Nature
Why should you immerse your kids in Nature? When you were young, where did you spend most of your free time? What about when you were in preschool? What did you do? Depending on your age and where you grew up, these answers can differ greatly from one another. Surprisingly, many children around the world have been immersed in nature because of where they live.
You might’ve been the type of tyke that went out at sunup and didn’t come back inside until well after the fireflies lit the night sky. You already know and love nature and want the same for your kids. On the other hand, you might’ve been the sort of kid that never stepped off their stoop. Now, though, you see your kids following the same pattern of essentially becoming a “houseplant”, and you don’t want that. You want them to experience the great outdoors.
You aren’t alone. The concept of nature immersion for kids is becoming popular in many parts of the world and for plenty of good reasons, as you will see below.
No Fear of the Outdoors
Some kids don’t like to spend time outside because they are frightened. They might be scared of the woods, animals, bugs, worms… you name it. The fear might’ve stemmed from something the kids watched on television or it could be a fear that you’ve passed down to them unwittingly.
Foster a Greater Appreciation of the Natural World
Kids who spend a lot of their time inside in front of screens or just lounging about tend not to fully appreciate everything that nature can provide. When kids can connect with nature and learn more about it, their knowledge turns into an appreciation. They will also be more likely to become better stewards of the environment when they get older.
Immerse Your Kids in Nature and Reduce Their Stress
Being out in nature helps lower anxiety levels. It reduces stress. Even though you might not realize it, kids get stressed over lots of things in their lives. They don’t always have a way to express how they feel since stress can feel so amorphous. Nature helps the kids destress just as much as it helps adults.
When kids learn at an early age how much better they feel after spending some time connecting with the woods and fields, it will follow them through to adulthood. It’s a good practice to get into as young as possible.
Improve Physical Fitness
Let’s be honest. Over the past few decades, the country has started to put on some added weight. The world has become more convenient. You can order just about anything you want online and have it delivered in a few hours or a few days at most. Fewer and fewer adults and children are getting as much exercise as they need.
Nature immersion programs are about enjoying the outdoors and exploring, all of which means being a lot more active. If you’ve wanted to get the kids up and off the couch or out of their rooms, get them outside.
Fresh Air and a Bit of Sunshine
For the past couple of years, a lot of kids have spent a great deal of time tucked away inside of their homes because everything was shut down. It can help to increase circulation and ensure the kids get enough vitamin D. Being outdoors can help to boost the immune system and promote wellness. Many kids who spend a lot of time outdoors tend to get sick less often. By immersing your kids in nature, you can improve their overall health.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Being out in nature and being active is also good to help the kids adopt a better sleep schedule. A lot of kids have trouble getting to sleep at night, especially if they haven’t fully exhausted themselves during the day. Nature immersion programs, as mentioned, help the kids to become more active. This expends more energy, and they are more likely to sleep through the night.
Nature Is Fun!
Of course, there really doesn’t have to be any other reason than this one. Getting outside and running, playing, learning, etc. is a huge amount of fun for kids—and adults for that matter. It brings about a sense of adventure and wonder. When kids see things and experience them firsthand, it’s going to leave a much bigger impression.
They are going to have stories to tell you when they get home about all of the fun they had and the things they got to do and see. Whether it is bugs, birds, flowers, or anything else nature has to offer, it will be wonderful for your kids to get to experience it up close and personal.
Get Out There With the Kids
In addition to having the children attend nature immersion programs, you might want to find some ways you can enjoy nature with the kids yourself. Take some time to find places where you can go hiking, fishing, camping, etc., and make it a point to show them how much they can do out in the woods. Go out at night and look up at the stars. Learn the constellations and teach them to the kids. Roast some hot dogs and marshmallows and tell spooky—but age-appropriate—stories.
When parents enjoy time with their kids out in nature, they start to associate happy, positive memories with being outdoors. It’s great for parents and kids alike, as well as grandparents. Don’t ignore all that the natural world has to offer.
Get Your Kids Involved with Our Nature Tutorial
Wouldn’t you love it if your kids got to spend more time outside while learning and having a good time? Whether you were a kid that loved being outdoors more than indoors or you were a city kid, let your children enjoy spending some time in the woods. To immerse your kids in nature will change not only how they see the world, but also give them a greater appreciation to take care of our earth.
If you live in the area, you might want to consider having your 7 – 14-year-old children attend our Tutorial and Homeschool Enrichment right here at Stoney Creek Farm. We’re going to be following the Williamson County Schools calendar for T/Th/Fri from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To learn more about our Nature Tutorial, click on this LINK today.
