woods

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

It’s been over ten years since Richard Louv sounded the warning on our children’s “divorce from nature.” He referred to our younger generation and their forsaking of outdoor play in favor of television and computerized games. Sadly the problem, though widely understood, is even greater today than it was in 2005 when Louv wrote the book.

This is a fact. When given a choice, most children today will opt to stay indoors to watch television, movies or play games on their computers, ipads and smart phones rather than play outside. Some television is educational, some informative, and much is entertaining. Computer games are well-designed and while some offer a measure of educational benefit, others come with unacceptable levels of violence and sexual content. The games are fun, challenging and highly addictive.

So, what’s the big deal? If kids enjoy playing games on screens, why not let them? It keeps them occupied and it teaches them computer skills while they play.

Here’s the thing. Teachers and health care professionals are noticing changes in the behaviors of today’s children. They have shorter attention spans. They lack motivation to play unless they can “plug in.” They forego interaction with others to play the games they’re addicted to. They lack social skills, communication skills and empathy for others. They’ve forgotten how to make their own fun and create their own play.

The bottom line is our children are overdosing on screen time, leaving them glassy-eyed and unfit for other activities. Louv says this is the first generation of children to be raised without meaningful contact with the natural world.

The natural world, you remember it—trees, rocks, sticks and bugs. The out of doors with real live creatures and plants. Habitats for animals and places to build forts. Streams and little fish and trails to hike. Natural found objects to take home and treasure.

We adults have fond memories of all kinds of outdoor play. We went fishing and swimming. We made mud pies and tried to dig holes in the ground just to see what was down there. We found bird nests and played hide and seek in the woods. We made up games out of our own creative juices.

Our children are losing out on rich interactions with the natural world. Some believe they’re missing out on a certain kind of well-being and health that comes from exploration and creative play in nature.

What can be done?  Do you agree that technology has infringed on other kinds of play? How do you handle your children’s desire for time in front of the television or on the internet? What memories do you have of playing out of doors? Have you found solutions to monitoring screen time? What works for you and your family?