Healthy Kids • YMCA Child Care
How to reconnect with nature as a family
13 April 2017 - by Sasha Smith
It’s no secret that the Earth needs our help, but the hustle and bustle of daily life tends to prevent us from taking action against the urgent threats that our planet faces. So, how can we find the motivation to become committed environmental stewards and save the Earth? Reconnect with nature. Research shows that when people feel connected to the natural world, they are more likely have empathy for it and to participate in eco-friendly actions.
Here are three simple ways to strengthen your family’s connection with the environment and set them on a pathway towards a greener future:
1. Explore the outdoors
From stress relief to enhanced creativity, the benefits of spending time in nature are endless, but for children, exploring the outdoors has a profoundly meaningful reward. Kids that are exposed to “wild nature” from an early age tend to develop a strong relationship with the environment that extends into adulthood. Awaken your child’s inner environmentalist by going on family walks or hikes, trading the concrete jungle for the wilderness at a family camp, or simply spending time playing in the yard.
2. Earn your green thumb
Gardening is a great way to go green because it can simultaneously improve your connection with nature and your family. Creating a vegetable garden or planting a few daisies helps families learn to work together, and teaches children valuable life lessons while making environmentalism a real concept so that the importance of stewardship is easier understood.
Getting reacquainted with Mother Nature can be a challenge when living in urban areas, so try starting a balcony garden, visiting your local community garden, or bringing nature indoors by growing a houseplant.
3. Practice mindfulness
While mindfulness is commonly known as a method for reducing anxiety, it has also been linked to increased nature connectedness and sustainable behaviour. Through practices like mindful walks or “sitting-spots,” mindfulness aids us in becoming present during outdoor experiences by opening our eyes to the little things in the environment that we often overlook. Wondering how to get your active youngster to slow down for a few minutes? Make mindfulness fun with the help of a few inventive mindfulness games!
Looking for more ways to reconnect with nature? Take a mindful walk through the lush rooftop garden at Cooper Koo YMCA this summer or register your child for one of our exciting programs like Summer Club and Day Camp.
Here are three simple ways to strengthen your family’s connection with the environment and set them on a pathway towards a greener future:
1. Explore the outdoors
From stress relief to enhanced creativity, the benefits of spending time in nature are endless, but for children, exploring the outdoors has a profoundly meaningful reward. Kids that are exposed to “wild nature” from an early age tend to develop a strong relationship with the environment that extends into adulthood. Awaken your child’s inner environmentalist by going on family walks or hikes, trading the concrete jungle for the wilderness at a family camp, or simply spending time playing in the yard.
2. Earn your green thumb
Gardening is a great way to go green because it can simultaneously improve your connection with nature and your family. Creating a vegetable garden or planting a few daisies helps families learn to work together, and teaches children valuable life lessons while making environmentalism a real concept so that the importance of stewardship is easier understood.
Getting reacquainted with Mother Nature can be a challenge when living in urban areas, so try starting a balcony garden, visiting your local community garden, or bringing nature indoors by growing a houseplant.
3. Practice mindfulness
While mindfulness is commonly known as a method for reducing anxiety, it has also been linked to increased nature connectedness and sustainable behaviour. Through practices like mindful walks or “sitting-spots,” mindfulness aids us in becoming present during outdoor experiences by opening our eyes to the little things in the environment that we often overlook. Wondering how to get your active youngster to slow down for a few minutes? Make mindfulness fun with the help of a few inventive mindfulness games!
Looking for more ways to reconnect with nature? Take a mindful walk through the lush rooftop garden at Cooper Koo YMCA this summer or register your child for one of our exciting programs like Summer Club and Day Camp.
