Why is nature so important for children’s mental health?

I don’t know about you, but I am a better parent outside. It’s quieter, the children are happy, and you get to move your body.

What’s the saying “Children cannot bounce off the walls if we take them away”

The first five years of a child’s life are so important for their development. Nature can provide so many benefits to children, from physical health, to mental and academic competency. We all know how important Vitamin D is, but did you know that even playing with dirt has shown to reduce anxiety in children and boost immunity?!

I listened to a very interesting podcast the other day about breathing, and how, due to our lifestyles, we have reduced our capability to breathe properly. The part of the podcast that I found super interesting was the research into carbon dioxide inside. A study was done with children who were breathing in recycled air (ie no windows open and indoors) and they’re academic capabilities reduced significantly. Just by being outside, children can learn more purely because there is a natural balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. I presume this would all ring true for sleeping at night – although that’s me interpreting the data. I always sleep with a window open but never opened my children’s!

You can listen to this podcast here.

Taking calculated risks is also very important for children – it’s how they learn. Things like climbing trees, jumping over the stream – this may all seem like play but it’s allowing children to use their reasoning side of their brain. It’s a muscle like everything else.

As social media progresses and we are living a more online life, it’s so important for children to feel a connection to nature. We are nature after all, and I am so hoping there is going to be a resurgence back to living with nature, with the seasons, and everything glorious that she has to offer. Children can learn so much by being outdoors. They can learn about plant lifecycles, the seasons, the importance of water for life, where our food comes from – the list goes on.

And lastly. It is so much easier to parent outside, nature offers so many games that parents can take a step back and let their children be. It’s my happy place.

You can read a report here that The Wildlife Trust commissioned into just this topic.

I wrote about how I taught my children to enjoy walking here with lots of tips and trips. It’s something I’m proud of because not only does it make owning a dog infinitely easier, but it means when they are feeling overwhelmed, there’s an easy way to relax everyone.