Why You Should Expose Your Kids to Nature?
February 14, 2020 11:10 AM
Journalist and nonfiction author Richard Louv coined the term nature-deficit disorder as a way to describe what people, and especially children, are experiencing due to less time spent outdoors. While not officially recognized in psychiatric manuals (yet!), Louv has started to tie the lessening exposure to nature to a potential increase in attention disorders, depression, lessened creativity, obesity, and a variety of other consequences. Children are spending more time inside and on computers, tablets, and phones and less time outside, scraping knees, and exploring on their own. Thankfully, it’s not too late! Exposing your kids to nature is incredibly valuable, and there are countless ways to do it. Arguably one of the most comfortable is on an RV road trip. For decades Expedition Motorhomes has been helping families get out into the woods and explore nature, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Below are some of our top reasons why you should expose your kid to nature early and often!
Learn to Ask Questions, Make Mistakes, and Problem Solve
In many ways, nature is the best classroom. There are countless cool things happening outside, and all a kid has to do is look around to start observing them. With a little coaching, your kids will be asking all sorts of questions about the world around them and, with some encouragement, they can find the answers themselves as well. This type of learning will promote a greater appreciation and understanding of the natural world and help to create the next generation of environmental stewards. Additionally, there’s no better playground than the outdoors and exposing your kids to nature will allow them to make and correct mistakes and solve problems on the fly. Whether they are building forts, turning over logs, or figuring out the best way to cross that creek the small lessons they learn in nature will stick with them for a lifetime.
Increase Creativity
No matter the location, unstructured playtime is incredibly valuable for a child’s development and there is no better place than nature to truly harness the magic of creativity. From making up games to skipping stones or creating ephemeral art projects, nature has a way of bolstering creativity better than anywhere else. All you have to do is eliminate other distractions and sit back and watch your children learn and grow.
Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
Not only is nature the best classroom, but it is also the best gym. By encouraging your kids to get out and run around in nature you are also unintentionally promoting a healthy lifestyle and lifelong fitness. If you can instill a passion for the outdoors early in a child’s life, chances are it will stick with them forever and they will be motivated to keep in shape, stay healthy, and continue exploring.
Teamwork and Leadership
Nature is the perfect stadium to foster the ideas of teamwork and leadership in children. There are ample opportunities outdoors to work together to accomplish shared goals and an equal amount of ways to grow as a leader. Whether your kids are playing simple games or solving more complex challenges like reading a map or climbing a mountain, nature is the best place to grow as both a team member and leader.
It is impossible to understate the value of nature and the impact of exposing your kids to the outdoors in meaningful ways. While there are countless ways to get your kids outside, arguably the most comfortable and fun is through an RV road trip. Renting an RV with Expedition Motorhomes and setting out on an epic adventure will give your kids ample opportunities to get outside and experience the wonders of nature. As a family, you can spend long hours exploring and running around outside in your chosen destination and then retire to a beyond comfortable home-on-the-road at the end of a long and exciting day. The benefits that your children will have after being exposed to nature will be obvious, and the memories will last a lifetime.
