Experts agree that getting kids to spend time outdoors has plenty of physical and mental benefits. But getting them away from their screens and out the door isn’t always easy. We connected with Taylor Quimby, executive producer of New Hampshire Public Radio’s environmental podcast “Outside/In ,” to get some of his tips for getting kids outside.
Why does it matter that kids have a love of the outdoors? Time spent outside is a healthy counterbalance to a world increasingly dominated by screens. Goofing around outdoors provides forms of social play you can’t get online. Take it a little deeper, and there’s plenty of evidence that time spent in natural settings is good for mental health too.
Plus, there’s the general hope that a kid who loves the outdoors might be more inclined to see themselves as having a role in protecting it — so ideally, there’s a long-term societal benefit as well. Advertisement But I don’t think we should aim to make kids love the outdoors. All we can really do is encourage (ahem, force) kids to spend time outside, explore outdoor activities that get them jazzed, and not worry about the ones that don’t.
That might involve a fair amount of boredom at first, but there’s nothing wrong with that. A final point: “Loving the outdoors” shouldn’t require slogging through a muddy trail in Maine during black fly season or living off-grid. My advice to kids (and adults) is to find the things you love to do outdoors and build your values .