5 Reasons Children need Outdoor Play

When we think of play, we might think of unnecessary silliness, fun, & games, but do we think of play as an essential learning activity for young children? Many studies have been done on the importance of play for young children’s development, but just as important is play in the outdoors. If you think back to your fondest childhood memories, I’m sure you will think of at least a few outdoor places and activities that played a major role in your childhood. Little did you know at the time, but playing outside was helping you develop essential life skills that you use to this day! Here are 5 reasons children need outdoor play.

1. Develops Gross Motor Skills. By playing outdoors, kids have the space to jump, leap, skip, run, crawl, and more. These activities help to develop the gross motor skills, as well as coordination and balance.
2. Develops Social & Communication Skills. Of course self-directed play is important, but when children are playing with others they learn important skills such as how to behave in a group, how to effectively communicate with others, and more. Inventing games and figuring out rules is important to developing good communication and social skills.
3. Stimulates the Senses. Being outdoors introduces children to a world of new sensory experiences! Bright lights and dark shadows, a rainbow of colours, the smell of grass, rain, dirt, and flowers, feeling mud between your fingers or the rough bark on a tree.. Playing outside lets children experience sensory stimulus they may otherwise not have a chance to experience - developing their appreciation for natural beauty and their vocabulary as well.
4. Vitamin D & Sunlight. Some studies have linked exposure to natural light with better sleeping habits in infants. Exposure to sunlight also gets children their much needed doses of the essential vitamin D.
5. Encourages Safe & Supervised Risk Taking. While many parents sometimes feel the need to over-protect their children, risk taking is an important and inevitable part of life. Teaching children when they are young how to navigate risk and stay safe, allows them to use these skills later in life. Evaluating risk is an essential skill that can be learned through play and practiced like any other skill.

Getting children outdoors improves their lives, health, and wellbeing. It’s easy to put them in front of the TV when you’re busy, but allowing them time to play outdoors will benefit them beyond what we could outline here! Who knows, maybe you’ll join in the outdoor play and experience some of these benefits for yourself!

About Discovery Child Care
Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychild.on.ca

Five Easy Plants Children Love to Grow

April and May are the perfect months for planing new gardens. Small backyard gardens are great opportunities for learning, play, family bonding, and more. Children who grow their own food are far more likely to make healthier food choices. There's nothing we want more than for our children to grow up with the ability to make choices that have a positive impact on their health and well-being.

There are many other benefits to gardening with children - they get a sense of accomplishment, a chance to care for something delicate, and plenty of time outdoors under the sun getting some much needed vitamin D.

While there are a plethora of delicious choices you can make for your garden, there are some plants that are especially easy for children to grow or help grow. Here are 5 easy plants to grow in your garden this year with your children.

Sunflowers
Sunflowers are a great staple in any garden, but especially in a child's garden. They grow quickly and are quite large. You only need to plant a couple depending on the amount of space you have. Sunflowers will sprout in a week, become a seedling in two weeks, and be nearly 2 feet tall in a month.  Once they bloom, about 8 weeks, they will reveal their seed kernels. These can be roasted for a tasty snack. Be sure to get the confectionery sunflower variety so the seeds are edible.

Lettuce
Lettuce is hardy and easy to grow, making it a great option for kids. The leaf varieties mature faster, and like part-shade. They take 7-10 days to germinate and mature in about 30-35 days. They are sure to get your child interested in making a salad with their own lettuce!

Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are very fun to grow, and delicious to eat right off the vine. It's better to plant them from seedlings as opposed to from seed. You can drive a 2' stake beside each plant and loosely tie them to keep them upright. They like full sun and compost, and will mature in about 50-75 days.

Snap Peas
Snap Peas are popular among kids because of their fresh sweet flavour. The seeds are easy to handle for kids, and they grow quickly. They will germinate in about 2 weeks and be ready to pick and eat in a month or two. When harvesting, teach kids to pick them gently (a great learning opportunity!) so that they do not pull the entire plant out of the ground with the peas.

Pumpkin
Pumpkins are a must have for any child's garden as they have so many uses. Pumpkin seeds are delicious roasted as a snack. The meat inside can be used for baking, soups, or other treats, and the outer part can be used for carving! Pumpkins will be ready to harvest in about 80-120 days.

As we said above, there are so many benefits to including children in your gardening. Giving them a sense of responsibility, ownership, and care at an early age will set them up for success at other endeavors in the future. They will also grow an appreciation for where food comes from. There are also science and nature lessons to be had!

For further reading on gardening with children, check out our other blogs below!

• 10 Ways Children Benefit From Nature
• Tips for Gardening With Kids
• Our Kinder-Garden Grows Healthy Food
• Why kids Need Time in Nature
• Why Playing Outside is So Important

About Discovery Child Care
Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychild.on.ca

Making New Year’s Resolutions with Children

As 2016 approaches you might be thinking of making some New Year's resolutions! If you have a young child it might be the perfect time to introduce the idea of making resolutions. Young children are only starting to develop habits and take responsibility for themselves. New Year’s is the perfect time to start a new ritual of creating New Year’s Resolutions together as a family. We have some ideas to make things go smoothly!

Set A Good Example

Children will look up to you and follow your example. You cannot ask them to do something you haven’t done yourself. If you make resolutions with them, and let them know you intend to stick to them, you can not only help hold each other accountable, but you lead by example. Making

resolutions can be a fun time for bonding at the end of every year. You can make resolutions as a family to be more active, learn something new, eat healthier, be kinder, or listen better.

Follow Up

You should try to follow up with your children throughout the year on the progress of their resolutions. Try to do this without nagging them. They will not want to participate if it feels like a chore they have to complete.

Be Positive

Try to word the resolutions in a positive way.  For example, rather than “Stop eating junk food”, you could try “Make healthier choices”. Or instead of “Don’t be greedy”, you could phrase it as “Share and be more generous”. By keeping it positive you set the tone for their resolutions right at the beginning

Here are a few child-friendly positive resolutions to give you some ideas! (These also make excellent adult resolutions too!!)

• Make healthier choices
• Get exercise every day
• Read x amount of books by the end of the year
• Learn or try something new
• Be kinder
• Listen better
• Share or be more generous
• Draw a drawing each day
• Spend more time outdoors

We hope you like our tips and suggestions for family New Year’s resolutions! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

5 Healthy & Fun Halloween Treats to Make at Home

With Halloween approaching, it becomes harder and harder to ensure your children are not overdoing it on the sweets. Dressing up, trick-or-treating, and munching on candies all night is always fun for the little ones. If you want an alternative to the sugary snacks, look no further. Getting kids to help in the kitchen has many benefits. Kids will develop an appreciation for whole food ingredients and be more eager to try new foods if they are picky eaters. It is an opportunity to develop fine motor skills as well as food and kitchen safety. It is also a great way to spend more quality time with them!

These five fun and spooky treats are packed with nutrients and the kids will love helping you make (and eat!) them.

1. Apple “Bites”

Image and Recipe from Oh She Glows!

These creepy but fun snacks have only 3 ingredients, and the kids will love pushing the almond sliver "teeth" into the apple.

2. Homemade Nut-Butter Cups

Image and Recipe from Tasty-Yummies.com

Who doesn’t love a peanut butter cup? Well, these are a healthy version that will leave you craving more. Dark chocolate and sweetened with maple syrup- they are refined sugar and dairy free!

3. Boo-Nana Ghost Pops

Image and Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

These have the added bonus of being irresistibly adorable! Easy as 1-2-3! You could sub raisins for the chocolate eyes, or add other spooky ingredients like shredded coconut.

4. Spooky Shaped Fruit Snacks

Image and Recipe from ThankYourBody.com

Store bought fruits snacks are one of those foods that seems healthy but in reality is loaded with sugar and artificial flavours and colours. Luckily it is very easy to make your own! This recipe creates simply cubed pieces, but you could totally go all out with some fun halloween themed moulds like these.

5. Veggie Skeleton

Image and Recipe from FeedingFourLittleMonkeys Blog

Sometimes it’s bet to just keep it simple, like this veggie skeleton. Let the kids pick out what kind of veggies are used and help you arrange them on the plate. Pick out any kind of veggie dip for the head- hummus, eggplant, ranch.. so many yummy options!

Happy Healthy Halloween!

About Discovery Child Care
Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychild.on.ca

10 Ways Children Benefit From Nature-Based Learning

Nature-based learning and development is an incredible way for your child to explore and connect with the world. Child-directed, hands-on, play-based programs, like our very own Forest School, have the power to effectively teach children a variety of skills.



A growing body of research affirms that nature-based outdoor classrooms have been linked to positive learning and developmental outcomes including enhanced imaginative play, increased physical and mental well-being, and environmental stewardship.

Nature-based programs have endless advantages.  Students who have participated this type of program have shown:

• Improved sleep habits
• Greater sense of calm and focus
• Improved mood
• Improved health (through increased physical activity and improved nutrition)
• Growing creativity and problem solving skills
• Reduced stress
• Improved eyesight (direct link to reduced rates of near-sightedness)
• Increased concern for the environment
• Improved concentration
• Increased language and collaborative skills

The advantages are amazing! In fact, this particular case study highlights nine skills that are thoroughly supported in a nature-based, outdoor classroom style of education.

1. Creative Representation
2. Social
3. Intrapersonal
4. Kinesthetic
5. Visual Spatial
6. Math
7. Language/Literacy
8. Science
9. Construction/Engineering


When our young students participate in Forest School, they are doing much more than playing outside - they're confidently learning a diverse skill set ... in the funnest way possible!

“Forest School can often be described as a ‘magical’ thing to witness, as it’s often a microcosm of collaboration, communication, trust building, and a working model of consensus building.”

We are so excited to start another year of Forest School and can’t wait to start watching our explorers thrive in the natural classroom.

To view full studies and research findings, click here!

About Discovery Child Care
Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychild.on.ca

5 Reasons Why We Love Ropes at the Forest School

The Forest School philosophy is based on nature-based learning in the beautiful outdoors! The natural environment provides numerous opportunities for exploration, while also helping to reduce stress, increase attention spans and foster healthy brain development.

The last few weeks allowed us to explore the forest as it goes through seasonal changes from summer, to fall, and to winter. You may have noticed in our Forest School Blog that we have had many adventures using ropes during play, but you might be wondering why.

Aside from being so much fun, using ropes during play has some amazing benefits:

1. Imagination. Our children enjoy playing games with the ropes, from crafting a rope web for climbing or swinging, to creating a rope pulley system, or even putting friends in “jail”! Ropes provide an outlet for new games and support a healthy imagination.
2. Building New Structures. We often use ropes to help build our tents – we hang ropes from the trees and can create a new structure every time we’re in the forest. The children learn how to adjust the size of the tent using different lengths of rope and tying ropes to different trees.
3. Fine Motor Skills. Practicing tying knots is the perfect way for children to develop their fine motor skills. Fine motor skills refer to the movement of hands and fingers, which also rely on gross motor skills such as strength in the arms.
4. Gross Motor Skills. Practicing climbing, balancing and bouncing on the ropes develops each child’s gross motor skills, which involve the large muscles of the body. Jumping over ropes and ducking underneath will also help build these skills.
5. Health and Fitness. Climbing, hanging, swinging…and sometimes even flipping…allow the children to participate in a healthy exercise, that keeps everyone moving, but most importantly, focuses on fun.

Every day we spend in the forest is full of new adventures. Our ropes help us explore, climb and build new things...and most importantly, the children love playing with the ropes!

Contact us today for more information about our Forest School program!

About Discovery Child Care

Barrie Based Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means, your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs. For more information, visit http://www.discoverychild.on.ca

Our "Kinder Garden" Grows Healthy Food!

One of the great things about having such a wonderful outdoor space at our child care centres is that we can garden with our kids!

Tending a garden from preparation in the spring to harvesting throughout the summer and fall is a fantastic learning opportunity for children and it is SO MUCH Fun!

The garden gives the kindergarten class a hands on chance to learn about vegetables, flowers, insects, soil and how to look after a garden.

This week we had a mini picnic enjoying our kale and lettuce straight from the garden (this has become a regular treat!) We also harvested lots of radishes which Alicia put in the potato salad that everyone enjoyed with lunch. We harvested lots of fennel, kale and herbs for today's soup. We spent some time watering and weeding too.

Our tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, beans, ground

cherries, pumpkins, squash, carrots, zucchini are growing like crazy and we will definitely be harvesting more next week. Please come and visit our garden with your child and have them show you around. The kindergarten class is very proud of their accomplishments!

Nature is a perfect classroom and we integrated it into our school programs as much as possible, through all four seasons. Find out more about our Nature Explore classrooms and contact us to arrange a tour at either our Harvie Road or Big Bay Point location. Discovery Child Care Centre is the first Certified Nature Explore Classroom in Canada!

Our Summer Camps are So Much Fun!

Summer Camps at Discovery Child Care Centres are all about FUN and LEARNING! We combine outdoor activities, field trips, with exciting themes for learning and play. Here's a slide show of a traditional camp activity - making SMORES!

Our weekly programs include: 

Computers

Creative arts & crafts

Dramatic play

Music & Movement

Cognitive & science activities

Cooperative games & sports

Organic gardening program

Field trips and/or visitors (may be an extra charge as needed)

1-3/4 acres at Harvie Road, 1-1/2 acres at Big Bay Point including; soccer, baseball, tether ball, gardening, art easel, sand box, dramatic play, and at Harvie Road - a wonderful sports court that includes opportunities for tennis, basketball, ball hockey, 4-square, and much, much more! 

Contact us today to enrol your child in a Summer Camp at either Harvie Road or Big Bay Point, Barrie.

Week #1 CREEPY CRAWLIES

June 30-July 4

Examining, exploring and learning about all of the tiny, slimy and sometimes beautiful little critters we find underground, in the sky and in our gardens. Let's discover what these things that 'bug' us mean to our planet and why they are important. We are in the planning stages of having a few quests visit us each week: A beekeeper and a Monarch Butterfly specialist. Stay tuned for dates/times.

Week #2 ENERGIZE THIS!

July 7-11

Taking a look at various means of eco-friendly/alternative energies such as: wind, solar & geo-thermal. We will be investigating how they work and finding ways to put them to use ourselves. Children will be involved in hands on activities and we are in the planning stages to take a trip to see geo-thermal in action!

Week #3 FROM FARM TO TABLE

July 14-18

Discovering how the products we consume make their way from farms & fields to our homes and dinner tables. We will be investigating the various procedures and hard work that is required for this to happen. We will take a trip to an organic farm in our community.

Week #4 FOREST ADVENTURES

July 21-25: We will be learning about the types of forests around us and how they, and the animals who inhabit them are in danger and most importantly, what we can do to help.  We are planning trips to a forest, arboretum and/or tree seed farm. Gwen Petreman, Author, Environmentalist and board member of Living Green Barrie, will kick off the week as a guest speaker on Monday.

Week #5

CLOSED July 28-Aug 1

Week #6

OCEAN KEEPERS with the David Suzuki Foundation

Aug 4-8

We will be hosting an OCEAN CELEBRATION using a kit provided by the David Suzuki Foundation. We will introduce the children to the magic and wonder of the ocean. Through many games, experiments, arts/crafts, stories, and even foods, we will explore how oceans contribute to all our lives and inspire the children to protect it.

Week #7 ROCK ON!

Aug 11-15:

Identifying all kinds of rocks, gems and minerals. We will learn where they came from and how they get to where we find them in our daily lives from household items to jewellery.

Week #8 SURVIVOR WEEK

Aug 18-22:

Children will learn about Canadian forests and how to survive in the Canadian wilderness. We will talk about how to make a fire, create shelter, the dangers and wonders of the forest and how to survive in different weather. Can you survive? We are in the planning stages for a trip to Tiffin Conservation area. (Note to parents: this will be taught in a fun, play-based, non-threatening manner!)

Week #9 NATURE ART WEEK

Aug 25-29

Children will use a variety of mediums to plan, construct and display artwork created from nature. Children will be using paints, dyes, tools, paper and other natural materials that they have found (or created) in nature. 

Discovery Child Care offers interesting and educational before and after school programs. Call us for a tour. We'd love to meet with you and your child! 705-733-2052

Tips to Help Your Family Get More Active

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, children ages 5 to 17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. While organized sports can make a significant contribution, the type of physical activity doesn't need to be all intense. A simple walk in the park or the woods contributes to health and fitness in children.

Here are some tips from the Canadian Living Blog on incorporating more exercise into your family routine.

Tips on how to incorporate more exercise into your children's lives:
• Keep your house stocked with items that promote activity, such as basketballs, soccer balls (or any type of ball), skipping ropes, Hula-Hoops, scooters, skateboards, a trampoline, bikes, in-line skates and, of course, all of the requisite safety equipment.

• Limit screen time – this includes time spent in front of both the TV and computer. And try to keep both out of your kids' bedrooms.

• Set up a badminton set in the backyard. It's a great introduction to tennis and other racquet sports, especially for younger kids.

• Give your kids outdoor chores – they love to help out and get dirty. Getting your kids gardening, raking, shovelling and carrying wood is a win-win situation: You get a break and your kids get some fresh air and exercise.

• Check out nearby yoga studios for kids' yoga classes. Yoga is a great activity for a rainy day. Don't have a studio nearby? A yoga mat and Pilates ball are all kids need to do their own indoor yoga class.

• Play outdoor games like Frisbee, tag and hide and seek with your kids. Games like these are great ways to spend long summer evenings.

• Start a family tradition of an evening walk or bike ride.

Discovery Child Care offers interesting and educational before and after school programs. Call us for a tour. We'd love to meet with you and your child! 705-733-2052

Children are Exercising More and Eating Better

Here is good news about lifestyle changes having a positive effect on children. Healthy food and lots of exercise!

We're pleased to offer our children a chance to grow their own food in our outdoor garden and pick berries and fruit. Learning about where food comes from and what is healthy can start at almost any age.

Discovery Child Care offers interesting and educational before and after school programs. Call us for a tour. We'd love to meet with you and your child! 705-733-2052

The Star | Children Exercising More and Eating Better

"New research shows we’re doing something right in the battle against childhood obesity.

In a study published in the October issue of the journal Pediatrics, lead author Ronald Iannotti writes that kids aged 11 to 16 are exercising more often and eating more fruits and vegetables. They’re also watching less television and consuming fewer sweets and sugary drinks.

“It may be that current public health efforts are succeeding; the trends from 2001 to 2009 are encouraging,” the study says.

When it comes to obesity risk factors such as exercise and healthy eating, she adds that Canadian trends tend to mirror American ones, with Canadian numbers slightly better.
 

Warshawski argues the push to get kids to adopt healthy lifestyles needs to start while they’re in the womb, earlier than marketers begin to build brand loyalty for junk food among kids.
 

“There are a lot of societal forces which are driving behaviour the other way,” he says. “We’ve just got to keep the pressure up.”

Get Outside Tomorrow for Canada's Longest Day of Play

On June 21st, Canada celebrates 'The Longest Day of Play'. Why not be part of this event and plan a trip to the park or the lake for Friday June 21st. The idea is to encourage families to get outside and have some fun! Here's some information about the Longest Day of Play including a video from the Particpaction website.

"Remember playing as a kid until the streetlight went on? Well it’s time to bring that back. On June 21st Canadians can take advantage of the most daylight hours of the year and celebrate the first annual Longest Day of Play.

On the Longest Day of Play we want all Canadians to head to the park after dinner. Bring a ball, bring your kids and invite all your friends. Might as well bring the dog too! Fill the playgrounds, parks and school fields with those who are out for the sheer love of play.

Celebrate Canada's Longest Day of Play - June 21st 2013

Active play may be fun, but it’s certainly not frivolous. Play allows youth of all ages to try new things, test boundaries and use their imaginations.

In addition to the physical health benefits, active play offers cognitive, emotional and social development benefits. It has been shown to improve and foster motor function, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving and social skills, the ability to control emotions and preschoolers’ speech. And, it’s lots of fun!

Unfortunately, 63% of Canadian kids free time after school and on weekends is spent being sedentary. We need to get our kids moving, and we’ve got plenty of great ideas, tips and information on bringing more play into your children’s lives." source: Participaction.com

What toddlers learn from water play

It's no secret that toddlers love to play with water. Here's why the lessons learned are worth the mess.

Look at that busy little guy, pouring water from yogurt container to funnel to yogurt container... to floor. He's learning about cause and effect, about warm and cool, about floating and sinking. He's calming himself after a

hard day of being small in a big world. He's learning new words, and thinking about the wetness of the water and the bubbliness of the bubbles.

And you thought he was just flooding the bathroom?

What if there was a clean, creative, natural play material that was piped right into your house, 24 hours a day, every day? You guessed? It's water. Along with the wonderful bright (expensive) toys that Grandma buys, and the paints and play dough and other neat craft stuff you provide, don't forget about water. Pamela Taylor, early childhood development instructor at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, says, "Young children are drawn to water. They're curious about it. It's a universally appealing play material with unlimited possibilities."

What are some of the possibilities? What does a toddler get from playing with water, besides wet?

Read more..

// Originally published in Today's Parent May 2001

Healthy Kids Need Time in Nature

Here is a wonderful article written by David Suzuki about kids, nature and healthy living - certainly subjects dear to my heart and I agree with David that we need a national strategy to get our kids eating healthy foods and being active in nature.  Please check it out and let me know what you think. Thanks - Karen, Discovery Child Care

Healthy Kids Need Time in Nature

By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Communications Specialist Leanne Clare

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/opinion/healthy-kids-need-time-in-nature-363444.html

Ontario’s Healthy Kids Panel recently proposed a strategy to help kids get onto a path to health.

The problem is that the path doesn’t lead them into nature. Though the report quotes parents’ comments and research showing kids spend dramatically less time outside than ever, it doesn’t encourage time in nature.

That said, many of the report’s recommendations should be implemented and supported locally, provincially and nationally to reduce the risks of obesity.

Encouraging parents and children to be more critical about dietary choices and requiring more information and labelling from restaurants and food producers is long overdue.

Ontario isn’t the only province working to reduce obesity rates and support parents raising healthy children, particularly in the early years. Alberta released relevant reports in 2011 and Quebec has had a ban on advertising junk food to children since 1980.

No one can argue against public awareness and education around the benefits of healthy eating and active living. But a provincial, patchwork approach to addressing these issues isn’t enough. We need a national strategy to get our kids eating healthy foods and being active in nature.

‘Make good things more accessible’

Although it seems logical that much of the time spent being active will take place outside, the Ontario report acknowledges that “many communities are not designed to encourage kids to move or be physically active…and have few safe green spaces.”

One parent in a focus group explains that the parks in his community are either gated or locked up once school is closed. So, even when there is green space, it’s not always accessible.

Last year, the David Suzuki Foundation conducted a survey with young Canadians and found that 70 percent spend an hour or less a day outdoors. The 2012 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card says they spend almost eight hours a day in front of screens.

So it’s not that kids don’t have time to be outside. It’s just not part of their lifestyle.

Much has been reported about a recommendation by the Ontario panel to ban junk food advertising that targets children under 12. This has worked in Quebec and is being discussed in Alberta.

But the approach has invited criticism from those who argue that people should have the right to choose.

It’s always tempting to focus on making bad things less accessible, but perhaps policymakers should be more creative and focus on ways to make good things more accessible.

Being in nature is good for all of us. People who get outside regularly are less stressed, have more resilient immune systems and are generally happier.

And it’s good for our kids. Studies show spending time in nature or green spaces helps reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

Even in built playgrounds, kids spend twice as much time playing, use their imaginations more, and engage in more aerobic and strengthening activities when the space incorporates natural elements like logs, flowers, and small streams, according to research from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Bring Nature Back Into Our Lives

Despite all the obvious health benefits of spending time outside, provincial and federal governments are failing to integrate a daily dose of nature into their policies.

It’s also something we as a society are failing to make a priority in the lives of our children. This inexpensive and effective way to make our lives healthier and happier should be an obvious solution.

We need to make sure our neighbourhoods have green spaces where people can explore their connections with nature.

We need to make sure our neighbourhoods have green spaces where people can explore their connections with nature.

We need to ask teachers and school board representatives to take students outside so that nature becomes a classroom.

And we need to stop making the outdoors seem like a scary place for children by helping parents understand that the benefits of playing outside outweigh the risks.

It will take public education and awareness-building as well as changes to the way we build cities and live in our communities to bring nature back into our lives.

Connecting kids to nature every day needs to be a priority policy objective in any strategy for healthy children and could easily have been integrated into the recommendations from the Ontario Healthy Kids Panel.

Taking our kids by the hand and spending time outside with them will have the added benefit of making us healthier and happier adults.

By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Communications Specialist Leanne Clare

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/opinion/healthy-kids-need-time-in-nature-363444.html


Discovery Child Care - Barrie, Ontario -- www.discoverychild.on.ca - Program Philosophy: Discovery Child Care brings nature into the classroom and takes the classroom into nature, offering an environmentally aware foundation of early learning for children, from infants to school-age. We follow an Emergent Curriculum philosophy which means: Your child will be provided with hands-on, play-based learning opportunities that will encourage active exploration, autonomy, choice, problem solving and plain old fun! Your child’s individual interests, abilities and needs will be considered when planning our indoor and outdoor programs.