Economy Can Bring Families Closer to Nature
The current slow economy can actually bring children and their parents closer to nature, says REAL School Gardens. It suggests parents slow down, take a deep breath, and step into the backyard or a local park with their child.
“Connecting with nature calms and soothes both children and adults, and it is something that both children and adults can do for a wealth of benefits, for free”, says REAL School Gardens.
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REAL School Gardens is a non-profit organization that brings gardens to elementary schools. Today, the organization works with more than 28,000 children in 54 public elementary schools in North Texas.
The organization’s mission is to “deepen children’s connection to nature, and ultimately, cultivate future generations of environmentally responsible citizens.”
Research has found that daily exposure to nature enhances children’s cognitive abilities and stimulates their imaginations. The organization indicates other research shows that children whose school grounds feature natural settings are “more physically active, more aware of nutrition, and more civil to one another”.
“At our core, we love and need nature,” says Clare Walker Leslie, author of Keeping a Nature Journal, who recently led a workshop for the REAL School Gardens community. “It’s a part of our ancient structure, and when it’s taken away, we feel weird.”
The Rainwater Charitable Foundation, started by financier Richard Rainwater, provided funding to establish REAL School Gardens in 2003. Now, in its sixth year, the organization is thriving and sharing its model with other school communities around the United States.
For more info, visit REAL School Gardens online.
Image courtesy of www.freephoto1.com
[...] But I worry that any kid could become a television zombie, so they don’t get that chance. I want children who know what the outdoors look like. Jamie wrote about the wonderfully green book Last Child in the Woods, which pushes parent to actually get those kiddos outside. Our kids are well-versed in environmental issues, but how often do they actually interact with their environment? [...]