June 2007

No Child Left INSIDE!

Are our children suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder? This is a condition defined by Richard Louv in his recent best selling book Last Child In The Woods. Louv has identified something that many parents and educators have been feeling, but couldn’t quite name; the increasing alienation between children and nature.

A sedentary lifestyle, too much time indoors and a lack of connection with nature have been linked with obesity, attention deficit disorder and depression. Being in nature provides the opportunity for exploration and wonder, for creative play and for physical exercise, that is so necessary for healthy child development.

A study completed by the California Department of Education in 2005 found that students who participated in environmental education programs in the outdoors raised their science test scores by 27%. However, fewer than 15% of California students are currently participating in outdoor education programs.

KIDS for the BAY staff and teachers participating in our programs certainly agree that students are more engaged in learning when they are outside in nature. This is when children become alive and are excited to learn. Students are fascinated to find a crab hiding under a rock, figure out why it is sheltering there and discover the adaptations that enable the crab to survive in an intertidal habitat.

Children feel empowered when they survey their local creek, decide if it is healthy or unhealthy and make an action plan with their classmates to restore it. This type of real life learning turns students on to science. It also provides them with the opportunity to make a significant difference to their environment.

This school year, KIDS for the BAY will take more than 4,000 school children into the outdoors for a hands-on learning experience and a real-life connection with nature. We are proud to be a part of the national No Child Left INSIDE movement!