It Takes a Village

National expert says fighting the unhealthy impacts of children spending too much time indoors starts with getting them outside—and continues with community efforts and cultural changes that keep them out there.

You would think a leader in the national movement to get more children outdoors would have no problem getting his own kids to join him for a hike, but …

“They look at me and say, ‘Dad, nature is your thing,’” laughed Larry Selzer, president of the Conservation Fund, which operates the National Forum on Children and Nature.

During his keynote address at the Governor’s Conference on Youth and the Natural World held recently in Augusta, with assistance from Maine Audubon, Seltzer outlined what we need to do to make nature their thing, too. While parents are on the front lines of getting their children active and outside, this is one fight that needs support from our communities and culture to be won, he said.

Statistics Show Serious Problems
The fact that kids don’t play outside “like we used to” has gone from a nostalgic gripe to a serious problem. In his book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv gave a name to this current-day environmental and health issue—“nature-deficit disorder.”

Selzer used statistics to demonstrate his view that “crisis” is not too strong a word for the situation. Children are suffering a number of unhealthy impacts by spending too much indoors. Rates of children with obesity and diabetes are steadily rising, along with the number of youth on medication for high cholesterol. What’s the most common injury for children these days? Repetitive motion injuries.

And besides the decline in their physical and behavioral health, what’s most tragic is the loss of children’s “sense of wonder,” Selzer said. “Kids have lost that spark of being inspired by what’s around them. How can they get that back?”

The Biggest Challenge: Fear
Selzer noted many obstacles to getting today’s kids connected to nature. One is that each day sees fewer and fewer natural places for them to make that connection. “The impact of development is staggering,” he said of this challenge. “We are changing the very face of America and more growth is on the way.”

But one of the largest contributors to the problem, Selzer said, is fear. Afraid of getting sued, towns have put “No Running” signs in their parks, and housing developments have banned tree houses. Afraid of injuries, bugs, diseases, and more, many parents have quarantined their children indoors, even though the health risks they face there are much greater. This fear of the outdoors will only get worse with each generation if things don’t change, Selzer said.

Despite these obstacles, Selzer said that studies show that nature continues to have a positive impact on children’s lives. Trees by inner-city apartment buildings lead to less crime and violence. School playgrounds on green spaces rather than pavement create an environment of creativity rather than physical dominance. Incorporating environmental education into a curriculum can improve test scores.

“We should think of nature as the first prescription rather than the last,” Selzer summed it up.

Community Effort Needed
Giving kids what they need to thrive will take the work of all segments of the community. “We need a cultural change to reach out and engage all Americans,” Selzer said.

Selzer applauded the success of efforts already underway around the country, including environmental nonprofits offering their resources to schools, companies encouraging outdoor activity for children, and programs that bring nature to inner-city children.

“Thanks for your leadership in Maine,” Selzer said, praising the work of programs in the state aimed to get families outdoors. “This conference is a wonderful opportunity to show the rest of the country what can be done.”

And an opportunity to think about the things we still need to do. Among them, Selzer said, creating “a culture of collaboration rather than confrontation,” overcoming society’s outdoor fears, and making access to nature an unalienable right.

Parents are playing a big part in creating this change, but it’s a job for all of us. As Selzer said, “Saving a generation is not a spectator sport.”

This Governor’s Conference and Youth and the Natural World, held October 2, was part of the statewide Take It Outside initiative, of which Maine Audubon is a partner.