My kids go wild when they’re cooped up indoors all day. First, they sulk. Then, the chaos begins—action figures strewn across the living room, epic battles between plastic dinosaurs and Matchbox cars erupting in the playroom.
As a homeschooling mom, once we finish our lessons, the pleas to head outside begin. “Mom, can we please go outside? What’s our outdoor adventure today?” they eagerly ask.
The best option? A nearby park with ponds. Armed with nets, they hunt for tadpoles (this season) or bullfrogs (later on). They catch minnows, shout gleefully, leap on rocks, and splash in the water while I relax under a pine tree with a book and my dog. Hiking is another favorite, especially at a local spot featuring a waterfall and fossils in the sandstone. While there are other trails to explore, nothing beats the thrill of that waterfall.
If we’re out of ideas, we might hit a local splash pad, though those concrete jungles only excite the kids when they’re hot and sticky. On weekends, we toss our 7-year-old into a kayak and the younger ones into a canoe, paddling down the river. We do all this because if my energetic sons, who both have ADHD, don’t get enough outdoor time, they’ll turn our home upside down—and feel miserable while doing it.
Randy Shore’s article in The Vancouver Sun cites Richard Louv, a keynote speaker at the Children and Nature Network International Conference. He points out that kids today report more issues with attention spans and depression, often leading to increased medication use. I know my sons’ ADHD—and even my ADD and depression—aren’t solely caused by a lack of nature, but the outdoors certainly helps. My oldest, Finn, is noticeably calmer and more focused after a day outdoors, and I feel more centered on kayaking days too.
Research from the University of Illinois confirms that playing in “green outdoor spaces” encourages creative play and alleviates ADHD symptoms. My kids thrive when they’re allowed to roam free in a natural setting with minimal adult interference. They want to play with sticks, toss pinecones, build forts, and engage in imaginative fishing expeditions. I have no clue what they’re up to half the time, and I think that’s the point. Kids need that freedom to carve out their own adventure, without an adult hovering and worrying over every scraped knee.
E.O. Wilson, a professor at Harvard, posits that we have an innate love for the natural world, a concept he refers to as biophilia. We’re naturally drawn to it, and it’s essential for our psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Simply put, kids need to immerse themselves in wild spaces—whether that’s a lush park, rocky terrain (just watch for snakes!), or even a muddy patch—otherwise, they risk stifling their growth and creativity. They need to squish mud between their fingers and watch trees sway in the breeze.
Organized sports like soccer don’t count. Sure, they might be outside, but they’re not truly engaging with nature. Nature is inherently wild, and kids must be allowed to roam in that wilderness to discover their own sense of adventure and curiosity.
You might not be ready for them to build a fire, but let them pretend. Maybe you’re squeamish about touching tadpoles, worms, or lizards, but providing nets for gentle catching and observation can spark their interest. Plus, children thrive when playing with other kids—Louv emphasizes that when they’re together, they invent their own games and rules, a form of play that’s fading in urban environments.
We might need to put in some effort—like finding other kids to join in the fun. We may have to shed expectations that Junior should always be doing math or enrolled in structured sports. Embrace the outdoors ourselves (I learned to keep bug spray handy after being chased inside by persistent mosquitoes). And we must accept that dirt, mud, and messiness are part of the deal. Inquisitive questions about nature are bound to come up (What’s that mushroom? Is that a fungus? What kind of rock is that?), and it’s okay if we don’t have all the answers. What matters is that we get our kids outside into nature. They deserve it—for their well-being, and honestly, for ours too.
Summary
Getting children outdoors is vital for their growth, creativity, and overall well-being. Nature provides them with opportunities for imaginative play and helps alleviate issues like ADHD. By allowing kids the freedom to explore, create, and engage with the natural world, we support their development in essential ways.