Comments on: Nature is an Essential Playground for Children http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/ Green and Natural Parenting Thu, 24 May 2012 18:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tiffany http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12641 Tiffany Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:57:19 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12641 Great blog Melynda! Great blog Melynda!

]]> By: Amber http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12640 Amber Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:38:53 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12640 I love taking my 11-month-old outside. As much as my 4-year-old enjoys nature, my baby just revels in it. He points and coos and babbles. He could spend hours just stroking tree bark. I really think there's no more stimulating or educational way we could spend our time than just being outdoors together. Plus, it somehow always picks up my own mood, too. Just try to be grumpy with your bare feet in the grass, it's not possible. :) I love taking my 11-month-old outside. As much as my 4-year-old enjoys nature, my baby just revels in it. He points and coos and babbles. He could spend hours just stroking tree bark. I really think there’s no more stimulating or educational way we could spend our time than just being outdoors together.

Plus, it somehow always picks up my own mood, too. Just try to be grumpy with your bare feet in the grass, it’s not possible. :)

]]> By: Melynda http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12639 Melynda Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:52:59 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12639 Thanks for posting about this. It is so important to get kids outside and connecting with nature. They are smarter, happier and better problem solvers. Plus, there are so many other benefits--as shown in recent studies. I usually don't plug my website in the comment section, but....While unstructured play is critical, if you need a few ideas to motivate your kids to get out and connect with nature check out: www.yourwildchild/com I'm off to finish packing for our weekend camping trip! Thanks for posting about this. It is so important to get kids outside and connecting with nature. They are smarter, happier and better problem solvers. Plus, there are so many other benefits–as shown in recent studies.

I usually don’t plug my website in the comment section, but….While unstructured play is critical, if you need a few ideas to motivate your kids to get out and connect with nature check out: http://www.yourwildchild/com

I’m off to finish packing for our weekend camping trip!

]]> By: Green Fundraising http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12638 Green Fundraising Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:35:12 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12638 AMEN! If you are interesting in "getting kids outside" you should check out these great people that write books exactly about that. Their names are Frances and Hugh Keiser. They are retired Grandparents that spend so much money on their mission each year - she writes, he illustrates. They have a beautiful book series called - Pelican Pete. www.pelicanpete.com. We really love them and carry their products in our line. AMEN! If you are interesting in “getting kids outside” you should check out these great people that write books exactly about that. Their names are Frances and Hugh Keiser. They are retired Grandparents that spend so much money on their mission each year – she writes, he illustrates. They have a beautiful book series called – Pelican Pete.

http://www.pelicanpete.com.

We really love them and carry their products in our line.

]]> By: julie http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12637 julie Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:56:43 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12637 I am so proud of myself that I have raised my 11 yr old daughter so far to realize that nature is amazing, and it's very important to cherish our earth, since we survive off it. She loves camping, and going to the park, and plenty simple things that a lot of kids her age don't care much for. She doesn't own a cell phone, she has a nintendo ds, but never plays it. She's not huge into tv. She is actually hanging out in her room right now just drawing. I love it. My 2 year old son, of course, loves to play in the dirt in the yard with his shovels and pails. Yesterday I took him outside to jump in the puddles from the storm we had, and he loved it. It's monsoon season here in AZ so we'll be getting plenty more storms to come, and many puddles to jump in. :) I am so proud of myself that I have raised my 11 yr old daughter so far to realize that nature is amazing, and it’s very important to cherish our earth, since we survive off it. She loves camping, and going to the park, and plenty simple things that a lot of kids her age don’t care much for. She doesn’t own a cell phone, she has a nintendo ds, but never plays it. She’s not huge into tv. She is actually hanging out in her room right now just drawing. I love it. My 2 year old son, of course, loves to play in the dirt in the yard with his shovels and pails. Yesterday I took him outside to jump in the puddles from the storm we had, and he loved it. It’s monsoon season here in AZ so we’ll be getting plenty more storms to come, and many puddles to jump in. :)

]]> By: Crimson Wife http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12636 Crimson Wife Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:03:44 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12636 This is one of the big downsides to living in suburbia. I grew up in a fairly rural area and my home was surrounded by woods. There was a creek running through our property and a lake nearby. I have a ton of fond memories of playing in our yard, with friends and/or siblings or alone. My kids, by contrast, live in a condo complex with boring manicured lawns a a few professional landscaped trees. My kids spend plenty of time outside, but most of it isn't *NATURE*. This is one of the big downsides to living in suburbia. I grew up in a fairly rural area and my home was surrounded by woods. There was a creek running through our property and a lake nearby. I have a ton of fond memories of playing in our yard, with friends and/or siblings or alone. My kids, by contrast, live in a condo complex with boring manicured lawns a a few professional landscaped trees. My kids spend plenty of time outside, but most of it isn’t *NATURE*.

]]> By: Sara http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12635 Sara Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:24:34 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12635 Having spent the better part of today hiking with my kids, I couldn't agree more. I was going to write more but am unable to get out of this conversation about the nervous and pumonary systems. Yes, the lungs are a spot in your body where there's a lot of air. Having spent the better part of today hiking with my kids, I couldn’t agree more. I was going to write more but am unable to get out of this conversation about the nervous and pumonary systems. Yes, the lungs are a spot in your body where there’s a lot of air.

]]> By: Cheri D http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12634 Cheri D Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:06:18 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12634 Thank you for another great post! This is so true!!!! We have been taking our son to our neighborhood park which is about 1/2 mile away ever since he was born! In the summer it is nearly a daily event and my son who is 4, walks there. We stopped using a stroller as soon as he started walking. Every year he finds something new to do at the park. We took him on his first hike in the mountains this summer and he loved it! Him and I planted a veggie garden together and we put up bird feeders this year so we can watch the birds feeding. And he has been gardening with mom ever since he was born too! I used to set him up in his stroller outside while I gardened. There is so much more we can do without TV and video games. I love the ideas you prosposed. I use to be a high school teacher and during my student teaching phase I had the honor of working with a teacher who used an inquiry based Geometry book that was so cool! The kids wrote the postulates and rules of Geometry after discovering them for themselves rather than the book giving it to them. It is truly the way to go in my opinion for learning. Thank you for another great post!

This is so true!!!! We have been taking our son to our neighborhood park which is about 1/2 mile away ever since he was born! In the summer it is nearly a daily event and my son who is 4, walks there. We stopped using a stroller as soon as he started walking. Every year he finds something new to do at the park. We took him on his first hike in the mountains this summer and he loved it! Him and I planted a veggie garden together and we put up bird feeders this year so we can watch the birds feeding. And he has been gardening with mom ever since he was born too! I used to set him up in his stroller outside while I gardened.
There is so much more we can do without TV and video games. I love the ideas you prosposed.

I use to be a high school teacher and during my student teaching phase I had the honor of working with a teacher who used an inquiry based Geometry book that was so cool! The kids wrote the postulates and rules of Geometry after discovering them for themselves rather than the book giving it to them. It is truly the way to go in my opinion for learning.

]]> By: Zoe V. http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12633 Zoe V. Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:16:40 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12633 Can't agree more! I grew up in Bulgaria and every summer break was spent on the farm with my grandparents. Al the other kids from the city were there and we loved to just go into the beautiful fields and play from dusk to dawn. We never had the toys, videos or other luxuries available to American kids today...but we had the freedom to explore nature, as you pointed out. I prefer my childhood any day over the childhood some kids have here - locked at home, playing video games. Thankfully, our home has a huge open backyard and many kids so my 6 month old son will go and play freely with them as soon as he starts walking. Thank you for the great educational blogs! :-) Can’t agree more! I grew up in Bulgaria and every summer break was spent on the farm with my grandparents. Al the other kids from the city were there and we loved to just go into the beautiful fields and play from dusk to dawn. We never had the toys, videos or other luxuries available to American kids today…but we had the freedom to explore nature, as you pointed out. I prefer my childhood any day over the childhood some kids have here – locked at home, playing video games. Thankfully, our home has a huge open backyard and many kids so my 6 month old son will go and play freely with them as soon as he starts walking.

Thank you for the great educational blogs! :-)

]]> By: Nadine http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12632 Nadine Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:04:06 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12632 My kids have the most fun making "mud slush" outside and picking bark off the tree in the backyard to look for" sticky sap." We just took a trip to Florida and I have more pictures of them "riding the waves" in the ocean and looking for seashells than character pictures at Disney. My 8year old says she is living on the coast when she grows up so the ocean can be her backyard. Hey- why not??? My kids have the most fun making “mud slush” outside and picking bark off the tree in the backyard to look for” sticky sap.” We just took a trip to Florida and I have more pictures of them “riding the waves” in the ocean and looking for seashells than character pictures at Disney. My 8year old says she is living on the coast when she grows up so the ocean can be her backyard. Hey- why not???

]]> By: Stacey http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12631 Stacey Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:12:41 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12631 I thought about this just yesterday! While at the pool another Mom was complaining about how her boys don't play outside and how her 12 year old had already spent 3 hours playing video games ( it was 12:30 pm ). He was complaining about "having" to swim and wanted to go home. I politely said how I understood her situation. "No you don't. Your that family. Your kids go outside and play, they see the pool as a treat and I've heard about your hikes." was her response. What a wonderful compliment for someone to give! Yes we are that family. I truly think my kids are going to be better off mentally, physically, and better rounded adults because we are that family. Perfect NO, they still have a lot of the cool stuff, but use it in moderation. Like all good things should be used! I thought about this just yesterday! While at the pool another Mom was complaining about how her boys don’t play outside and how her 12 year old had already spent 3 hours playing video games ( it was 12:30 pm ). He was complaining about “having” to swim and wanted to go home. I politely said how I understood her situation. “No you don’t. Your that family. Your kids go outside and play, they see the pool as a treat and I’ve heard about your hikes.” was her response. What a wonderful compliment for someone to give! Yes we are that family. I truly think my kids are going to be better off mentally, physically, and better rounded adults because we are that family. Perfect NO, they still have a lot of the cool stuff, but use it in moderation. Like all good things should be used!

]]> By: Leigh @Organic Mamas http://naturemoms.com/blog/2009/07/08/nature-is-an-essential-playground-for-children/#comment-12630 Leigh @Organic Mamas Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:55:09 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=3047#comment-12630 This is so true!!! My daughter itches to go outside and could stay out there all day! I only wish we we had a house with a backyard so I could let her roam freely! This is so true!!! My daughter itches to go outside and could stay out there all day! I only wish we we had a house with a backyard so I could let her roam freely!

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