Benefits of Connecting with Nature

This Nature of Teaching lesson plan teaches students the relationship between outdoor experiences and mental health.

Do you remember when you were a child, and your parent/caretaker used to say, "Go outside and play?" Times have changed, and today children spend less time playing outdoors than any past generation. According to recent statistics, only six states require physical education in every grade, only 20% of school districts require daily recess, and 2 out of 3 children are considered inactive. Higher obesity rates are linked to the current sedentary and nature-deprived lives of our children. Obesity has short-term and long-term consequences for overall health and well-being. It is closely linked to an increased risk for chronic diseases, as well as depression, stress, and anxiety. If the sedentary, indoor, screen-focused lifestyles of children today are not changed, there is likely to be a high cost to their health.