I was in the checkout line at REI, waiting to purchase some (much-needed?) gear when I spotted the most recent Outside magazine.

The title alone captured my interest, so I grabbed a copy and began reading it at stop lights on the ride home. The aforementioned article – a collection of thought-provoking essays – was not necessarily new information for me, but I found it both timely and challenging. The more I read, the more I was encouraged that an exceptional magazine would dedicate so many pages to this growing problem of indoor kids. And while I have been well-acquainted with this situation for quite some time, it has only recently begun to be addressed by the general American public.

The bottom line? Kids need to get outside more. Kids need the freedom to roam, to play, to get messy, to sometimes fall, and to fall in love with nature. As a teacher, outdoor education is near and dear to my heart; I consider myself blessed to work at a school that promotes outside learning as well as unstructured play. In a country where the average kid spends 4-7 minutes a day engaged in outdoor free-choice leisure, it’s time that all adults begin considering how to address this growing widespread problem.

And it is a problem. Research shows that being out-of-doors has many positive impacts on both or physical and mental health. Conversely, being inside all of the time has been linked to greater stress, anxiety, obesity, and shorter attention spans.

It’s part of our nature to be in a natural environment, and it’s up to us (the adults) to show the next generation what a healthy connection to the outside world looks like. Yes, there are many programs and non-profits that are doing an excellent job getting kids in nature, but for this big chance to happen, it’ll take a shift within our Western culture and a conscious effort from all of us. As Outside magazine so eloquently writes: “It’s time to make childhood an adventure again.” Let’s make it happen!

“Kids deserve the chance to explore nature without an agenda or chaperone, to take risks and learn to get themselves out of trouble, to fall in love with nature so they become stewards of the earth.” – Outside September 2018

Want more info?

Last Child in the Woods book

Washington Post article