Part One: The New Relationship Between Children and Nature

1 . Gifts of Nature

Nature is extremely important to the development of children. Being out in nature forces children to use their creativity and imagination in unique ways. When Louv refers to nature, he is talking about the natural wilderness, an abundance of biodiversity. It is in places such as an empty field or woods that kids are forced to use their minds to create their own games and activities. However, over the past several decades there has been a lack of outside play by kids. Because of the decreasing space for outdoor play and the increasing temptation of electronics, children are spending more time than ever sitting inside. As people become increasingly consumed by electronics, parents are not spending time outside with their children, and kids are constantly seeking the immediate stimulation that nature doesn’t provide the same way video games do. Finally, parents are becoming increasingly worried about their children’s safety, not allowing them to freely explore nature. There is no question that children are not enjoying nature the way they should be.

2 . The Third Frontier

The concept of the third frontier started after the 1990 census. It was shown that the farm population in America had dropped from 40% in 1900 to less than 2% in 1990. The third frontier is characterized by the invasion of the wilderness with buildings and development. The line between machines, humans and animals is disappearing. Kids have no idea where their food is coming from which has led to health problems in the US. Another problem raised by this disappearing line is that animals are coming into developed areas and causing harm to humans. There are support groups in Los Angeles for mountain lion victims because animals are attacking people. Children growing up in America today are being raised in the third frontier, which in several ways poses problems for their future.

3 . The Criminalization of Natural Play

One of the main factors in children’s decreased outdoor play are the increasing rules and safety regulations related to outside activities. Neighborhoods have rules that restrict what kids can do even in their own backyards. Some natural land is closed year round because city officials don’t want children harming the natural environment or endangered species. Because of the strict regulations, kids often find that their only choice for playing outside is to join organized sports teams. While organized sports are good for kids, they still need free time to just explore nature on their own. Leisure time for families is now sitting in front of the TV which is one of the causes of the growing obesity problem in this country. There has also been a significant increase in mental- health problems among children today because of the increased time spent indoors. This lack of nature in children’s lives is what Louv calls nature-deficit disorder. While this is not a formal medical condition, research has proven there are negative effects on a child’s development when too much time is spent inside, and not enough spent in nature. There is something that parents and teachers can do about it, but first they have to understand the problem.

(Emily)