Come out and play — there’s no app for fresh air
Monday January 9th, 2012
By MARGO OLSON AND J EVA NAGEL
This is the first in a series of columns from the Children and Nature Saratoga Steering Committee, an all–volunteer organization dedicated to the importance of outdoor experiences for children and the community.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Step back and power off and you might notice that technology has infiltrated our lives. At the push of a button we have movies, games, books, music and so much more. Our leisure hours can be filled with many easy options that don’t even require leaving the comfort of our cozy, well–wired homes. While these technologies allow us to expand our horizons, it is becoming increasingly difficult to strike a balance between the allure of the virtual and the electricity-free activities that engaged us in the past.
It is especially hard for children to break away from the captivating qualities of this new media. But it is important that they learn to do just that.
Research has been finding that children are suffering from a serious shortage of nature in their lives. This deficiency is affecting their ability to deal with stress, to achieve in school, to keep their weight at healthy levels and, in general, to cope with the pressures of daily life. It has been called the Vitamin N or nature deficiency, and it is caused by spending less time outdoors.
This nature deficit can have a profoundly negative impact on healthy childhood development. To combat this trend, doctors, teachers and parents have been promoting outdoor play as a prescription for good health.
Locally, Dr. Anneke Pribis worked with Children and Nature Saratoga and Saratoga Hospital to develop prescription pads that include suggestions for young patients to get outside and play.
Why not use the start of the new year to think about creating some new family habits? Even though the days are shorter and colder, the goal is to get outside. Don’t let the weather deter you. Hibernation is not part of the plan. Small, simple changes are the easiest to make and to keep. Here are some ideas for family activities that take us outside to play:
For kids (and adults), the key to enjoying the winter is to dress for the cold. Warm socks, waterproof boots, hats and gloves are the difference between having hours of fun and quickly becoming cold and wet. Once you’re suited up, go walking, sledding or looking for animal tracks in the snow.
Snow and ice offer myriad opportunities for unstructured and creative play — snow sculptures, forts and tunnels can keep kids engaged for hours.
Building snow jumps for backyard sledding never seems to get old.
Snow enhances the light of the moon, making winter the ideal time for taking a moonlit stroll. If you have the gear, skating, cross country skiing, downhill skiing and snowshoeing are great activities. They combine time outdoors with healthy exercise and social interaction, and will leave the whole family tired, rosy-cheeked and satisfied. Add some hot chocolate and you have a perfect day.
Outdoor venues are plentiful. A short list includes the Spa and Moreau State parks, Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, Saratoga Battlefield, and Saratoga PLAN preserves, all a short hop from where we live. The Adirondacks and Catskills are also within easy striking distance. And, your own backyard beckons. You will be giving your child (and yourself) the priceless gift of happiness, good health and an infusion of Vitamin N for the New Year.
Visit childrenandnaturesaratoga.org to find links to lots of great family outdoor fun.
Come Out and Play will appear again March 4 in The Saratogian. The writers are Margo Olson, Children and Nature Saratoga Steering Committee chair and executive director of Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park and J Eva Nagel, psychotherapist and professor, and former educator with the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs.
View story as it appeared in the Saratogian on January 7, 2012 here.
