Stay Connected to Nature in The New School Year

Summer is such an enjoyable, relaxing time for children. Yet when school starts up again everyone may feel tense as they go back to super structured lives. Between homework, balancing extracurricular activities and changes in weather, families can easily forget to prioritize outdoor time.

It is vital that we make time to enjoy nature and the great outdoors since it can help reduce stress and bring a sense of calm. Our children need a break after school and on the weekends from their schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. Nature is that perfect break.

Just because summer is over does not mean you need to completely say goodbye to playing freely outside, family barbeques and outdoor adventures. Your family can still benefit from nature connection even after school starts. Here are five simple ways to keep your family connected to nature, even in the midst of a busy school year.

Free play outside is key to unwinding

Even if your children have recess at school, they still need time to unwind after school and weekends in addition to organized sports practice. Children of all ages need unstructured free play to be creative and let loose with their friends or siblings. Let them jump rope, blow bubbles, play a game of pickup basketball with the neighborhood kids or make their own obstacle courses in the backyard. Install a swing set for younger children, have equipment for fun games around for all ages and host groups of kids over for a backyard barbecue.

Red Bluff residents Leslie and her daughter, Violet, know that working in the garden after school, growing and eating your own produce, is a great way to stay in touch with nature. Photo by Kimberly Parodi.

Benefits of volunteer work in nature

Volunteer work while spending time in nature helps reduce stress. When we give back to our community, we experience a physiological change called a helper’s high. This euphoric physical sensation results from our brain releasing chemicals called endorphins such as dopamine, which makes us feel elated and excited. As a result, we experience positive health changes including less stress, anxiety and depression. Other benefits of volunteering include experiencing more compassion, feeling more connected to our community, being more grateful for what we have in life and viewing the world from a broader perspective. Some ideas for family volunteering in natural settings include working in a community garden; doing a park cleanup; caring for animals at a nature center, horse ranch or animal shelter; and weeding, planting seeds, sifting compost, digging or watering at a local CSA (community supported agriculture) farm.

Growing a garden encourages healthy eating and builds community

Gardening is a wonderful way to encourage children to spend more time outside in nature. Growing fruits and vegetables together as a family can be a fun, engaging and calming activity. In addition to the general benefits of being outside in nature, gardening offers a healthy distraction, provides a chance for some light exercise, encourages children to eat healthier, instills an appreciation for where food comes from and the work involved in making every meal and it builds community.

Engage your children in gardening by buying them their own gardening tools, asking them to pick out the types of produce they want to grow and using the produce you grow to cook meals together. If you don’t have the room or desire to create a garden in your own backyard, collaborate with a neighbor or purchase a plot to tend at a local community garden. You can also start slow by growing a few herbs on your windowsill or one vegetable at a time in a large flower pot.

Choose school projects that involve nature

There are so many ways to incorporate nature into schoolwork. For example, if your children have an art project, take them outside to create a nature scene or go on a nature scavenger hunt and put together a collage of leaves, sticks, flowers and other items they collect. Enhance their school lessons by working on science kits and taking them to local museums or nature centers that relate to the topics their teacher is covering. Simple experiences like going to a farmers market to learn firsthand about farming or gazing at the stars in the evening sky can enhance what they are learning at school. The best part is when they experience nature for themselves, they will gain a greater appreciation for what they are learning about and be in awe of the world around them.

Break the routine by visiting inspiring nature spots

Give your kids a break from all their school commitments by heading out for some nature time. Try a new bike path, rent a boat for a few hours, take a day trip to a park or nature preserve, or plan a longer vacation during a school break that involves nature exploration. Some nature spots to add to your list include mountains, rivers, forests, farms, hiking trails, waterfalls, botanical gardens, canyons and caves. The most important thing is to stretch your comfort zone and break your normal routine to enjoy new nature experiences together as a family.