The Green Parent

Want to raise your child’s science test scores by up to 27% ? Just open the door and head outside. That’s right, a recent study found that children who spend time in nature not only have higher science test scores, they are also better at conflict resolution, have higher self esteem, and are understandably more concerned about protecting the environment than those who don’t.

Now, the scientist in me is well aware that this one small study is not a definitive analysis of the effects of nature on the development of a child. But still, the conclusions of the study are in line with what most Green Parents already suspected. That it’s good for our kids and good for the environment when the two get together. According to Richard Louv, author of Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, “the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable.” Yet, thanks in part to television, internet, and computer games, our kids are spending less time outdoors and more time plugged in to one device or another.

I’ll be the first to admit that even at The Green Parent Headquarters (my house) my girls don’t get outside as often as they could. Busy schedules, inclement weather, stomach bugs, and bad timing sometimes conspire to keep us indoors. So if nothing else, this study serves as an excellent reminder of why it’s so important to turn off my own computer, gather up my girls, and get outside. After all, what’s good for the gosling is good for the goose, right? With that said, I’m signing out…time to go boost some test scores!

Special thanks to the Sierra Club’s Building Bridges to the Outdoors program for bringing this issue to my attention!!