Like most babies, I immediately reached for my mom’s arms the first time my bare feet touched the grass. The prickly sensation was unlike anything I had felt before.
Fast forward 10 years when my mom is making me help her with yard work. I tried to hide it, but the number of bugs crawling around my feet and flying around my head completely overwhelmed me. I faked having to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, and blow my nose several times just to give myself mental breaks from all the slithering and crawling insects.
I was born and raised in the city. Even when I was a little older, all we had for a yard was a very small garden that was attached to a little patio behind our house. There was very little “yard work” that needed to be done.
The huge yards that come with most homes in the United States were one of the things my family loved about the country. We felt so lucky to have so much outdoor space to use however we wanted. But all this land comes with a lot of maintenance.
This is when I began learning about the importance of being outdoors and with time, the value of doing yard projects.
The fact that I first dreaded yard work was no fault of my parents. They exposed me to the outdoors as much as they could.
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I often think about this when I see my own kids playing outdoors. I had both my kids sit in the grass with their bare arms and legs as soon as I could – just to get them to feel that very different prickly texture. The issue now is that depending on where you live, kids will oftentimes go 6 or more months without feeling this, along with the feeling of dirt and seeing bugs.
So, I let my kids play in the grass and soil, pick up leaves and rocks, and watch all the bugs crawl and fly around.
Does my toddler like bugs? Nope. She’s scared of dragonflies and wants them nowhere near her swing set. But I continue to expose her.
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My kids are there when I do yard work. We put garden gloves on and we talk about what bugs we see, and different parts of plants, and we encourage a little mess. That’s how you can tell kids are getting more comfortable with nature – when they’re not afraid to have it on them.
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There are so many benefits to involving kids in the outdoors. Not only does being outside improve your mood, but it also reduces stress. You have more space around you which allows you to move around freely and encourages you to be active. These things are all true for both kids and adults.
Curiosity, exploration, and discovery happen every time my kids are outside. We can be doing the simplest activity, like washing leaves in a bucket, and they are completely captivated by it. Even taking your snack or meal outside is like breathing a breath of fresh air (quite literally).
“Children and teens who spend time playing outside and enjoying nature can be: physically healthier, more engaged in learning, more positive behavior, and mentally healtheir.”1
Danette Glassy, MD, FAAP & Pooja Tandon, MD, FAAP
I find that especially on tough days, we all benefit from stepping outside. Even if it’s just taking a stroll to the end of the driveway to get the mail, those minutes of fresh air where you don’t have four walls around you are liberating. The fresh air and change of scenery can shift everyone’s mood for the better – rain or shine.
What are some ways you incorporate the outdoors into your routine?
References
Glassy, D. and Tandon, P. (2023) Playing outside: Why it’s important for kidsDanette Glassy, MD, FAAP & Pooja Tandon, MD, FAAP, HealthyChildren.org. Available at: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/playing-outside-why-its-important-for-kids.aspx#:~:text=Playing%20outside%20promotes%20curiosity%2C%20creativity,had%20less%20anger%20and%20aggression. (Accessed: 05 October 2023).
