Close your eyes for a moment and visualize a place of healing, rejuvenation, and wellness. What does that look like? What sounds do you hear? What’s the temperature? Is there a breeze blowing? What does it smell like?
Most people who do this exercise will describe a place in the natural environment – not a place behind a screen. It might be a sandy beach with the waves rolling in, a mountain meadow, or a forest of towering trees. It’s almost never an app or video game.
Humans are deeply connected to nature and we have been for as long as we’ve walked the Earth. We thrive when we spend time outdoors. But today that connection is hanging by a frayed thread, due largely to our overreliance on technology.
Today’s youth spend more time than ever before in front of screens. Even kids realize they are spending too much time on technology. A recent Pew study reports that 54% of young people say they are spending too much time on their phones. Then there’s the fact that excessive screen time has been linked to health issues from anxiety and depression to poor sleep, a cluster of issues that award-winning journalist Richard Louv dubs “nature-deficit disorder.”
The Power of No Power
The happiest teens use their phones less than one hour a day, according to a study. It might be difficult to convince a kid of that, but it’s clear that the happier kids are the ones finding ways to engage with the world rather than just looking at it online.
[Get This Free Download: Too Much Screen Time? How to Regulate Your Teen’s Devices]
Studies show that time in nature improves children’s school performance, behavior, self-discipline, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. It also helps them feel more connected with nature, making them more likely to help protect the natural world.
For kids with ADHD and related conditions, the benefits of spending time outdoors are profound. While increased screen time is linked to more severe symptoms in these kids, exercise and time outdoors have been shown to reduce symptoms. One study found that even looking at natural greenery significantly decreased stress levels for kids with ADHD, and that they could focus better after being outside.
Being out and about and taking in fresh air helps us sleep better. A study found that a weekend camping trip can reset circadian rhythms. Spending time in nature has even been shown to improve eyesight. Another benefit of family green time? A better relationship with your child.
How to Help Your Child Plug Into Nature
I’m not suggesting we try to eliminate all screen time. I am advocating for the benefits of unplugging, or as I call it, “the power of no power.”
[Read: “Why We’re Drawn to Beaches, Gardens, and Forests”]
As parents, you have the opportunity to give your kids real-life experiences to help them break free from their digital trance. Here are a few suggestions, many of which cost little yet provide priceless benefits:
Go for a hike. There are state and local parks everywhere. If not a hike, a stroll through your neighborhood’s greenest parts.
Ride bikes along a greenway path.
Go fishing.
Visit a waterfall.
Take your kids swimming in a lake or swimming hole to cool off on a hot summer day.
Rent canoes or inner tubes and float a river or paddle a lake.
Picnic at a spring, lake, or river.
Create a scavenger hunt or try geocaching, a real-life treasure hunt that gives kids a connection to nature and the people who left those treasures behind.
Your best memories probably don’t start with “There I was, at the computer.” So don’t just read about life online — get outside and live it with your kids.
Nature Deficit Disorder: Next Steps
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