An article in today's Wall Street Journal outlines the benefits of children (and adults) spending more time outdoors.
Author Jonah Lehrer cites a "recent study" which concluded that "American children between the ages of 8 and 18 currently spend more than four hours a day interacting with technology."
From the article:
As a result, there's no longer time for nature: From 2006 to 2010, the percentage of young children regularly engaging in outdoor recreation fell by roughly 15 percentage points.
This shift is occurring even as scientists outline the mental benefits of spending time in natural settings. According to the latest research, untamed landscapes have a restorative effect, calming our frazzled nerves and refreshing the tired cortex. After a brief exposure to the outdoors, people are more creative, happier and better able to focus. If there were a pill that delivered these same results, we'd all be popping it.
Lehrer goes on to describe a variety of studies that showed that people who spend more time outdoors than others score better on tests of creativity, attention and short-term memory.
From the article:
This also helps to explain an effect on children with attention-deficit disorder. Several studies show that, when surrounded by trees and animals, these children are less likely to have behavioral problems and are better able to focus on a particular task.
So, this Memorial Day Weekend, go take a hike.
With your kids, of course.