Supporting Links for Outdoor Education by Belva

What a pleasure it was spending time with everyone on Wednesday. So many insightful and inspiring conversations. Let’s keep the conversation going between us and share those conversations with our parents and administrators!!

There was a request from many for some supportive links to highlight why the great outdoors is so important. I’ve compiled a list of some that I genuinely enjoy and found inspiring.

Something I neglected to touch upon was talking about the vestibular system and it’s importance in our development. I recognize that this may not apply to those with older students but it’s still fascinating to learn about all the same. Could also be an interesting rabbit hole to fall into researching the vestibular system and it’s development in the teenage years.

The Vestibular System and How it Works

https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/vestibular-system-affects-childs-behavior.html

This is a *great* article that gives some basic facts around the vestibular system and how it works. For example: spinning in circles activates the vestibular system. By activating this system it not only enhances eye motor function, because your eyes have to come into focus, it also calms the mind and allows children to focus better. So getting children to roll down hills is considered developmentally appropriate practice. I find mentioning this to parents to be very helpful and eye opening in regards to supporting the work I do.

Nature Deficit Disorder

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38094186

Richard Louv, author of Lost Child in the Woods, coined this phrase. It’s a thing. Understanding how nature affects us and the importance of it in our lives can also help parents to better understand that daily outdoor play is necessary. I spoke about the study done in a hospital where they had one test group in private rooms with a city view vs one test group in private rooms with a view of nature. The test group with a view of nature healed faster than those with the city view. As we spoke about terminology, this is also a great term to have in your back pocket. It’s sensible and is exactly what it says it is….nature deficit disorder.

Forest School Philosophy

https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/forest-schools-child-led-learning/

This is a great article to share with parents about the base line of what Forest School is all about and why it’s critical in todays society. Again, there’s a lot of great language in this to better equip you when talking with folks.

Unstructured Play and Why It’s Important

https://www.mother.ly/child/how-unstructured-play-is-actually-so-important-for-brain-development

This just came across my desk yesterday and I LOVE it! It hits all of the big points about how simply playing is so so important. If anyone is in a play based center this is a wonderful article to send to parents that question if their child is learning anything. In my opinion this can apply to all ages.

There’s one more study I want to tell you about. Researchers took 2 groups of kids aged 8-10. For one year, they told test group A that during lunch and recess they could play on a playground with all of the bells and whistles. They told test group B that they had a large open area to play on with not much on it for lunch and recess. At the beginning of the year they tested the childrens social and emotional capabilities, imagination etc. AT the end of the year they tested everyone again.

What they discovered was this: Test group B was much better equipped to deal with negotiating between each other, their emotional control was higher and their imaginations had grown in leaps and bounds. Test group A on the other hand hadn’t developed as much over the course of the year.

Researchers attributed this to their environments. A playground is an informed setting that dictates actions whereas a vacant lot is an uninformed setting that asks the participant to create their own actions. I have experienced this time and time again. In fact, I wrote a blog post about it! You can check it out here: http://muddybootprints.com/2017/06/01/surroundings-make-a-difference/

I hope these articles help support the work you do and can assist you in educating those around you. Fear is huge and at the end of the day, society is learning to be fearful of the great outdoors. Knowledge is power as they say so keep digging, keep asking questions, and keep sharing what you know. And keep in touch!!!!

Belva