Earth Day 2009
On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Now Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and citizens like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a worldwide campaign to protect our global environment.
Since those early days, we have done a pretty good job cleaning up the planet. Yet , there is a staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation-he calls it nature-deficit-to some of terribler childhood trends, such as the rises in attention disorders, obesity, and depression.
His recent book,Last Child in the Woods, has spurred a national dialogue among educators, health professionals, parents, developers and conservationists. It clearly show we and our youth need to spend time in nature.
Teacher Judith Millar, from NJ, Over five years ago, began introducing nature in her school. Our courtyard now has several habitat areas, including a Bird Sanctuary, a Hummingbird/ Butterfly Garden, A Woodland Area with a pond, and even a Meadow. My classes oversee the care of this “Outdoor Classroom”, but now it’s practically a full time job, making it difficult to find time for all my other subjects My students currently maintain the Bird Sanctuary. In addition, this spring they will be a major force in the clean up and replanting process. They always have energy and enthusiasm for anything to do with “their garden”.
Many schools have taken on projects like Ms. Millar, Yet, Despite schools teaching of nature kids rarely play outside, we as a nation have lost the ability to just send our kids out to play. Watch out for the “boogie Man” has infiltrated our lives. As parents we live in fear. Yet, it seems we are learning that a wonderful way to help our children get outside is summer camps. These Camps help children develop into mature adults. A new study finds that most of todays parents overprotect their kids. 50% of all kids have stopped climbing trees, and 18% have been told that they can’t play tag or chase. Even hide-and-seek has been deemed dangerous. And that dreaded stick…”will put out someone’s eye”, is definatly a No No.
Can technology be the blame for the decline in outdoor play? Adrian Voce says “Children are not being allowed many of the freedoms that were taken for granted when we were children,” “They are not enjoying the opportunities to play outside that most people would have thought of as normal when they were growing up.”
According to the Guardian, “Voce argued that it was becoming a ‘social norm’ for younger children to be allowed out only when accompanied by an adult. ‘Logistically that is very difficult for parents to manage because of the time pressures on normal family life,’ he said. ‘If you don’t want your children to play out alone and you have not got the time to take them out then they will spend more time on the computer.’
The Play England study quotes a number of play providers who highlight the benefits to children of taking risks. ‘Risk-taking increases the resilience of children,’ said one. ‘It helps them make judgments,’ said another. We as parents want to play it safe and we need to rethink safety vs adventure.
Examples of risky play that should be encouraged include fire-building, den-making, watersports and climbing trees. These are all activities that a Summer camp can provide. At camp children to get outside take risks and play, this while being supervised by responsible young adults.
Swift Nature Camp is a Noncompetitive, Traditional OUTDOOR CAMP in Wisconsin. Our Boys and Girls Ages 6-15. enjoy Nature, Animals & Science along with Traditional camping activities. We places a very strong emphasis on being an ENVIRONMENTAL CAMP where we develop a desire to know more about nature but also on acquiring a deep respect for it. Our educational philosophy is to engage children in meaningful, fun-filled learning through active participation. We focus on their natural curiosity and self-discovery. This is NOT School.
No matter what skill level or interests your children have, Swift Nature Camp has activities that allows them to excel and enjoy. All activities are promoted in a nurturing, noncompetitive atmosphere, giving each camper the opportunity to participate and have fun, rather than worry about results.
Campers also can participate in out-of-camp trips, such as biking, canoeing, backpacking and horse trips. This is the ultimate test of a camper’s skill and knowledge. It’s a reward to discover new worlds and be comfortable in them. This is what makes S.N.C. so much more than just a SCIENCE SUMMER CAMP.
Earth day has provided so much..but their is more we can learn from nature. This summer help your child regain their appreciation for nature by sending them to Swift Nature Camp. This is an opportunity that will be treasured the rest of your child’s life.
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