With spring here, parents have been asking what they can do to get their children off the couch and moving, says Lewis First, M.D., chief of pediatrics at Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health and professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine.
There is evidence to suggest that not enjoying nature, particularly in our beautiful part of the country, can result in worsening physical fitness and increased risk of obesity from sitting indoors for hours on end in front of a video game or computer. Not getting outdoors to enjoy nature and our surroundings has also been associated with increased feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as trouble paying attention. In fact, some who study what happens when children do not get outdoors have referred to this problem as nature deficit disorder.
The National Wildlife Federation recommends a daily “green hour” of unstructured play outdoors. They have lots of fun ideas on how to make this hour a highlight. Go online and visit www.thegreenhour.org to learn more. And be a role model. If you get excited about going outside to explore the environment, so will your kids!