• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bits of Positivity

Inspiration | Quotes | Parenting | Character Education

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy
  • Character Education
    • Best Books for Kids
    • Gratitude
    • Kindness
    • Making a Difference
  • Growth Mindset
  • Mindfulness
  • Best Quotes
  • Freebies

Are You Getting Outdoors for Earth Day and Every Day?

April 20, 2012 By Deb Chitwood 6 Comments

Previous article: “The Earth Delights” Word-Art Freebie
Next article: “The Moments That Take Our Breath Away” Word-Art Freebie
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

I recently wrote a post at Living Montessori Now about helping kids avoid nature-deficit disorder through Montessori-inspired outdoor activities. But it isn’t just kids who can have nature-deficit disorder.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Richard Louv first coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” in the 2005 book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. In a more recent article, “Get Your Mind Dirty” at Outside Online, Louv says that adults as well as children are suffering from lack of time in nature. He writes:

“In the book, I introduced the term nature-deficit disorder—not as a medical diagnosis but as a way to describe the growing gap between children and nature. By its broadest interpretation, nature-deficit disorder is an atrophied awareness, a diminished ability to find meaning in the life that surrounds us. When we think of the nature deficit, we usually think of kids spending too much time indoors plugged into an outlet or computer screen. But after the book’s publication, I heard adults speak with heartfelt emotion, even anger, about their own sense of loss.”

In the spring especially, I feel a greater need to spend time outdoors. “Spring fever” hits me each year and continues throughout the warm months. And I need to get out of the house some even the middle of winter. I think that most adults as well as kids feel better, more whole, by spending time outdoors.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” John Burroughs

Richard Louv talks about some interesting benefits of spending time in nature:

“While the study of the relationship between mental acuity, creativity, and time spent outdoors is still a frontier for science, new data suggests that exposure to the living world can even enhance intelligence. At least two factors are involved: first, our senses and sensibilities can be improved by spending time in nature; second, the natural environment seems to stimulate our ability to pay attention, think clearly, and be more creative.”

I’ve been focusing on getting outdoors more in general lately. And I want to take my writing outdoors, too. I plan to take my laptop outdoors in the warm weather rather than spending the day sitting at my desk, even though my computer is right by a window.

What better plan for Earth Day or any day than to get outdoors and enjoy the earth? How do you plan to spend more time outdoors?

Photo Credit: Photo at the top of this post by Vinoth Chandar at Flickr Creative Commons (License).

Linked with Thought Provoking Thursday.

Related Posts

  • Are You and Your Children Suffering from Nature-Deficit Disorder?Are You and Your Children Suffering from Nature-Deficit Disorder?
  • “Brief Opportunity” Word Art Freebie“Brief Opportunity” Word Art Freebie
  • Best Earth Day QuotesBest Earth Day Quotes
  • Best Screen-Free- and Less-Screen-Time QuotesBest Screen-Free- and Less-Screen-Time Quotes
  • “Every Day Is Earth Day” Word Art Freebie“Every Day Is Earth Day” Word Art Freebie
  • “The Earth Delights” Word-Art Freebie“The Earth Delights” Word-Art Freebie
  • “ThanksLiving Is Better” Word Art Freebie“ThanksLiving Is Better” Word Art Freebie
  • “Rainbow Bridge” Free Printable Poem {Pet Loss}“Rainbow Bridge” Free Printable Poem {Pet Loss}
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Previous article: “The Earth Delights” Word-Art Freebie
Next article: “The Moments That Take Our Breath Away” Word-Art Freebie

Filed Under: Encouragement, Motivation Tagged With: Earth Day, getting outdoors, nature deficit-disorder, Richard Louv

Previous Post: « “The Earth Delights” Word-Art Freebie
Next Post: “The Moments That Take Our Breath Away” Word-Art Freebie »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. terri says

    April 21, 2012 at 2:39 pm

    I completely agree. I try to run outside most days so even if I’m stuck at my desk, I had my fix in the morning. I do notice my son’s teachers aren’t too adventurous when the weather is freezing or below and don’t take the kids out to recess. I with they would. We live in Virginia so how cold can it get?

    Reply
    • Deb says

      May 16, 2012 at 9:22 pm

      Thanks for your comment, Terri! It’s great that you run outside … such a healthy habit and great way to stay in touch with nature.

      I think teachers in South Dakota are probably better at taking kids outdoors than it sounds like they are in Virginia! And the preschools that are completely outdoors year round in Scandinavian countries are amazing … and hard to imagine! They definitely show that kids in most of the U.S. could get outdoors everyday with only good results. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sid Carnell says

    April 21, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    This is so wonderfully written. I’m all pumped up for doing something good for the environment now.

    Thanks for sharing.

    -Sid

    Reply
    • Deb says

      May 16, 2012 at 9:23 pm

      Thanks, Sid! I hope you’re enjoying Earth Day every day! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kathy says

    March 24, 2015 at 3:55 pm

    I spend as much time as I can in my garden. The latest thinking is that working with the soil boosts your immune system and lifts depression. Well, any gardener will know that already. We don’t need a study to know that being outside is the best mood elevator on earth.

    Reply
  4. Jeanne Reina, says

    October 30, 2017 at 11:07 pm

    I really like spending outdoor activities with my kids. It is one way of making my kids healthy in mind and body.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Connect With Me

          

Search

    Translate to:

    Powered by Google Translate.
Montessori at Home or School - How to Teach Grace and Courtesy
Montessori Crash Course Registration

Browse Categories

Categories

Archives

Popular Posts

I Recommend:

How to Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding, or Yelling

Craftsy Shop Pura Vida Bracelets Online

Word Art Information

If you want to share any of my word-art files, please share the link to the blog post the word art is on. If you use my word art on your blog or website, please credit me and link to the original blog post. You’re welcome to share any of my word-art images on sites like Facebook, but use the image with the URL. Thanks! 🙂

Footer

You Can Also Find Me

PreK + K Sharing Spring Snow Publications
Living Montessori Now

Connect With Me

            

Copyright © 2021 Deb Chitwood · Foodie Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress Themes · Design By The Creative Pad