Youngsters go back to Earth

Youngsters go back to Earth

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/n...l/15167625.htm

Tue, Aug. 01, 2006
By Kellie Patrick
Inquirer Staff Writer

The morning sun warmed a small Churchville Nature Center pond and the
backs of two 6-year-old boys who crouched over the water in search
mode.

"Is the frog still there?" C.J. Donofry asked hopefully.

"He's under this leaf!" said Michael Bedard, pointing.

Many naturalists, teachers and others who work with children believe
experiences like the boys' frog hunt have become far too rare. Instead,
they say, children are increasingly spending their playtime indoors -
often with electronic gadgets.

"They cannot identify birds - even common birds like a cardinal - but
they can tell you what level of Pokemon gives the most points," said
Lisa Buffardi, an environmental educator who was leading the program
that recently brought C.J. and Michael to Churchville Nature Center in
Bucks County.

"Some of them are really afraid to be outdoors," said Kristina Merola,
a naturalist at Palmyra Cove Nature Park and Environmental Discovery
Center in Burlington County. When school groups come to the center,
children frequently scream when they see an insect - even if it's
nowhere near them, she said.

Lower Merion Conservancy Executive Director Mike Weilbacher said he saw
playground equipment stand idle in his own neighborhood.

"I have to beg, cajole or bribe my own kids to go outside. My default
setting was outside. Theirs is inside. It's heartbreaking, but it's
true."

But those who worry that kids lack a connection with nature say there's
much more to it than nostalgia. They worry that children who do not
learn to love nature now will not protect the environment later. The
lack of outdoor play has contributed to obesity, they say. And they
cite studies indicating nature is crucial to emotional and mental
health.

Debbie Donofry, C.J.'s mother, needs no study to persuade her. The time
her son spends at Tyler State Park and in his backyard relaxes him, she
said. "Fishing teaches him patience," she said. "And there's the
exploration - with nature you just never know what's going to happen."

Many in the get-outside movement say their mission is getting help from
the bestsellingbook Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From
Nature Deficit Disorder.

Author Richard Louv, a San Diego journalist who has written several
books on children and families, said he was prompted to write after
what he heard in thousands of interviews with parents and children from
across the country: Many kids were spending little time outside, and
parents worried they were missing out on something important.

When he turned to the researchers, he found studies showing the parents
were right.

"There were studies at the University of Illinois that showed kids with
ADD symptoms get much better with a little contact in nature," he said.

The researchers suggested that time in nature be added to the other two
traditional therapies for Attention Deficit Disorder, behavior
modification and drugs.

Other studies show that students who spend class time outdoors perform
better and patients whose hospital rooms had nature scapes got well
faster, he said.

Louv said he has been surprised that his book has touched a nerve with
so many diverse people - rural and urban, religious and secular,
political left and right. The book has sold more than 140,000 copies,
and he's received 400 requests to speak.

Why children spend more time with GameBoys and computers than outside
romping through the woods or watching ants crawl on sidewalks is
complicated, experts say.

Most say the overriding cause is parental fear. Parents are worried
about strangers' snatching their kids, about mosquitoes' giving them
West Nile virus, or ticks inflicting Lyme disease.

Buffardi says she could never let her children run free as she did
growing up in Philadelphia because drivers speed on her Feasterville
street.

Wherever those who work with nature gather, talk turns to how to get
children out of the house.

The title of next spring's Pennsylvania Association for Environmental
Educators conference? "No Child Left Inside."

The goal of the conference is "to talk about how people working with
kids can get them outside," said association president Kathleen Geist,
a teacher at Philadelphia's Green Woods Charter School. Located in the
Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Green Woods places an
emphasis on nature.

The conference, which will be held in Wilkes-Barre, will show
participants how to teach about nature in urban settings.

"Even a school that is on asphalt can use the out-of-doors," said
Geist. There's always insects, birds, the sky and weather, she said.

To overcome parent fears, programs are offering supervised and
structured experiences with nature, said Weilbacher. An example is the
conservancy's nighttime walks to check out bat behavior.

Palmyra Cove, on the Delaware River, added a series of family
activities last November, such as beach walks and introductory
birdwatching. And in September, they will add a twice-a-week program
for preschoolers.

At Churchville Nature Center, facilities are being added in hope of
offering more family-oriented classes.

While working with the 6- and 7-year-olds, Buffardi, the environmental
educator, seemed determined to teach the kids everything she could in
the two hours she had them that day.

They followed her around like a clutch of goslings. She showed them the
difference between damselflies and dragonflies, taught them how the
swampy ground around them was like a sponge, a strainer and a nursery,
and showed them how to scoop small creatures from the pond without
hurting them.

C.J. and Michael netted themselves a giant of a tadpole that will grow
into a bullfrog like the one they had earlier seen slumped down in the
mud. "Yesssssss!" said C.J., as he raised his arms above his head in
Rocky-style celebration.

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Contact staff writer Kellie Patrick at 610-313-8127

Taking It Outside

Here are some tips on getting children into the outdoors:

· Let part of your yard grow wild. More insects and animals will
visit, and kids can turn over rocks to see what's living underneath.

· Plant a garden or plant flowers or vegetables in containers. This
helps young people understand how plants grow and where food comes
from.

· Take advantage of "nearby nature." A grassy lot or a few trees at
the end of a street can hold a world of wonder.

· Look up. Encourage kids to pay attention to clouds, birds, stars
and weather.

· Encourage schools to take kids outside for play or lessons.

· Join forces with other parents and take kids on nature field
trips.

· Don't worry if you don't know much about nature. Experts say kids
learn from adults' positive attitudes about nature. And learning
together can be fun for adults and kids.

· Counties' department of recreation Web sites have links to parks
and nature centers, many of which offer programs designed for children
or families. For the park sites and other nature programs go to
http://go.philly.com/nature

- Kellie Patrick

SOURCE: Inquirer research

Online Extra

For a slideshow and links to information on nature programs for
children and families, go to http://go.philly.com/nature