Do you ever wonder why kids don’t explore nature like they did years ago? I do! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about growing up in a small town in the 60s and 70s. Most of my free time was spent outside playing with my sister and friends. We had toys but didn’t always need them because we used our imagination to think of fun things to do.
One time we found some tunnels in an open field that others had dug out. So we gathered up tumbleweeds to hide the tunnels, since much of it had caved in and was open. When we moved a mile away, we didn’t have the tunnel fort, so we made one entirely of tumbleweeds stacked on top of each other. We even had different rooms. It was so fun!
As kids, we would also go exploring, running through the corn field and walking along dirt roads between fields to investigate an isolated grove of trees. We were always looking for new adventures and things to discover. Sometimes we’d find cool frogs, bugs, or mushrooms, but other times, nothing. Either way, it was the excitement of the possibilities that made it fun.
My sister and I would stay outside until the sun went down, 'cause we knew we needed to be home for dinner before it got dark. But that was okay, because we had the freedom to go explore nature and see what we could find.
Today, most kids spend their time staring at a screen playing video games or watching shows or movies. Some keep busy by participating in sports. But I wonder how many have actually gone on an adventure to explore nature. If you have kids, or even grandkids, don’t you wish they’d spend more time enjoying the magic of nature? I hope so, because I feel it’s so important that kids discover nature and learn to love it. If they don’t, then who will protect our planet when we’re gone?
I’ve always loved Baba Dioum’s quote. Its sums up my belief about nature, which is probably why I’ve been sharing nature with adults and children since the early 90s!
For in the end, we will conserve only what we love.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we are taught.
Baba Dioum, Sengalese Conservationist
Do your kids or grandkids explore the outdoors? If so, let me know what they’re into.
