Those Norman Rockwell images of children caked with dirt and mud, catching frogs and playing stickball in fields, once captured what it meant to be a kid. Not anymore. Now, the prevailing image of kids has them sitting on couches, gaping sedately into the television, swathed not in sunlight but in the iridescent glow of the TV screen or computer monitor.

In a sense, complaints of this kind have prevailed through the decades. Older generations never seem to approve of their grandchildren’s play habits. But, could the growing disconnect between children and nature actually have a significant impact on the emotional, physical and environmental health of our nation?

With childhood obesity and depression on the rise, the effects of electronic entertainment could have further reaching implications than we imagined. In addition, the growing lack of understanding of the connection between humankind and nature could adversely affect the way our society functions in the future. Without an understanding and appreciation for wild places, conservation land and wildlife species could be in serious danger. And, lack of experience with nature could lower children’s math and science skills.

It’s not just the kids that are to blame. Fears about diseases like Triple E, West Nile Virus and Lyme disease, as well as concerns about traffic and child abduction, have spurred many parents to keep their kids indoors. Some school districts are eliminating recess and giving kids more computer-oriented homework. Modern families have strictly structured and scheduled lives, with little time for exploring the outdoors. And, options for playing outside are limited by a lack of open space and restrictions on recreational areas.

The N.H. Children in Nature Initiative is an organization dedicated to promoting interactions with nature that improve physical and emotional well-being, increase understanding of and care for the natural world, and push stronger connections to community and landscape. The organization has partnered with the Sierra Club and the national Children and Nature Network to sponsor the New Hampshire Leave No Child Inside Forum: A Community Conversation about Connecting Children and Nature. The daylong event occurs on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord.  

The keynote speaker at Tuesday’s forum is author Richard Louv, who made big waves with his 2006 book “Last Child in the Woods.” It was largely Louv’s book that triggered the creation of the N.H. Children in Nature Initiative, bringing renewed attention to the issue of children’s indoor tendencies.

“I think it’s incredibly important for a child to be outside in nature and to have an understanding of the world around them,” said Martin LeBlanc, national youth education director for the Sierra Club. LeBlanc, who will serve as a panelist at the forum later this month, said at least 90 percent of kids report that they have never built a tree house. “This is just the Martin LeBlanc guestimation poll, but I imagine if we would have asked that question in the late ’80s or ’70s, we would have had a much higher number (of kids who had done so),” he said.

Of course, the trend of children spending more time indoors is nothing new. It has mirrored advancements in electronic forms of entertainment, such as video games, DVDs and the Internet. But, a number of studies conducted in recent years have shown a widening gap between children and nature, and the results of that gap have contributed to poorer test scores, ADHD, child obesity, stress and depression. Louv’s book documented much of that research, causing parents, outdoor organizations and state agencies to coalesce around the issue.

“It drew on all of this research that a lot of us have been following for a while,” said Marilyn Wyzga, of N.H. Fish and Game. “Because of who Louv is, because he writes for parenting magazines, because he’s a journalist, I think he had an opportunity to reach audiences across a broad spectrum.”

According to Wyzga, who is chairing the forum in Concord, statistical evidence supports the notion that less outdoor activity has contributed to the national rise in child obesity. It is fairly obvious that fresh air and exercise help kids stay in good physical condition.

“Children, let’s face it, are getting heavier,” said Karen Acerno, director of N.H. Audubon’s Massabesic Center. “Obesity is on the rise.” 

Perhaps less obvious are the educational ramifications of the trend. Statistics suggest that excessive indoor activity contributes to cases of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Wyzga said. And, constraining classrooms and homework assignments create a pointed disadvantage for kids who thrive in outdoor learning atmospheres. Often, the students who have the most trouble in traditional academic settings tend to blossom outdoors.

“They learn in a different way. They learn more by hands-on,” Wyzga said. “They’re more tactile and sensory oriented.”
Unfortunately, she added, teachers often punish students for acting up in class by taking away their recess privileges, which only compounds the problem. In addition, with teachers facing stricter educational mandates because of the Bush administration’s Leave No Child Behind legislation, many school systems are eliminating recess and outdoor programs to focus more on preparing students for standardized tests.

In “Last Child in the Woods,” Louv coined the term “nature deficit disorder,” which refers to the link between lack of outdoor activity and a number of physical and emotional health issues. According to Acerno, the phenomenon is evident in kids all the way through high school.

“The fact that children are spending inordinate amounts of time indoors … research has been showing that their development actually is stunted in some ways. They become more easily stressed,” Acerno said. “Folks are discovering it’s not just an aesthetics thing, but a required part of development.”

LeBlanc cited a 2003 study conducted by the California legislature, which wanted to find out if spending time outdoors improved students’ test scores in science. Students from urban, suburban and rural backgrounds spent a week attending outdoor school programs. The results were surprising to some.

“It showed a 27 percent increase in science test scores after that outdoor experience,” LeBlanc said.

The Children in Nature Initiative has identified a wide range of barriers that prevent children from spending more time outdoors. Essentially, the barriers can be divided into three categories. The first is children’s growing fascination with electronics. The second involves the busy schedules of parents and schools and the lack of encouragement for kids to spend time in nature. The third involves policy issues and the absence of outdoor recreational space.

“Kids are over-scheduled like crazy. It’s piano lessons one day and it’s soccer practice the next day,” Wyzga said. Schools promote organized sports year-round, she added, which keeps students busy through the seasons.

A typical student’s day begins with eight hours of classes, followed by organized extra-curricular activities, followed by homework, dinner, video games and bedtime, LeBlanc said. It is important, therefore, to incorporate more outdoor activity into the educational process.

The fact that more and more kids have two working parents is another factor that makes it difficult to find time for nature. Additionally, parents are bombarded with warnings about diseases transmitted by ticks, mosquitoes and other insects, as well as skin diseases caused by exposure to sunlight. Although the solution may be as simple as applying insect repellent or sunscreen, many parents are hesitant to let their kids go outside in certain areas or at certain times of day.

“There’s an inordinate fear that’s developed that may not reflect the reality,” Acerno said.

LeBlanc noted that parents rightfully feel safer when they can keep an eye on their kids inside the house. He referred to a “culture of fear,” wherein parents are frightened to let their kids stray too far from the living room.

“Throughout time, there’s always been the great goblin of the woods,” he said. “That’s understandable and I respect that, so we need to work with parents to set up systems so they feel safe when their kids are outside.” 

Although there is some legitimacy to fears about disease and child abduction, the percentages for both are exceptionally low, LeBlanc said. In fact, statistics have shown that abductions are less common today than they were 25 to 30 years ago.

“This culture of fear is tempered by the reality,” he said.

Another barrier to spending time outside is the pervasiveness of urban sprawl and development, limiting children’s access to wild and pristine places.

“There’s a lack of open space, especially in the local communities,” Acerno said, adding that even designated conservation areas often have restrictive rules and regulations. “We may have towns with recreational areas or town forests, but there’s lots of restrictions that have emerged.”

LeBlanc noted that some playgrounds even have “no running” signs. There are liability issues associated with allowing kids to run around and play in public places, and many kids do not have woodsy areas in their backyards.

“I think that’s one of the reasons we need to make sure there is support for school programs that want to take kids out,” LeBlanc said, adding that the state should provide schools and agencies with the resources they need to take kids on field trips to places like Rye Beach and Strawbery Banke. “So many times, it is just having funding to take that bus trip to that special place.”

Many people worry that if kids do not experience nature and develop an appreciation for natural places, they are unlikely to become conscientious stewards of the land as adults. LeBlanc, who grew up in Dover, noted that most people can close their eyes and remember special outdoor places they visited as children. Without those sorts of memories, future generations may not develop a deep concern about nature.

Now, more than ever, it is important for people to care about nature.

“We face an immense challenge in the 21st century of global warming,” LeBlanc said. “How do we expect the next generation, which is going to have to deal with this a lot more than we are, to really care about the environment and be motivated to face these challenges and solve them if we don’t have them engaged in the outdoors?”

Part of the solution will entail involving developers and landscapers in the conversation. Acerno stressed the importance of “built environments” and landscaping that provides natural settings near children’s homes.

But, there is no simple solution to the problem. The notion of stay-at-home moms or dads has become increasingly antiquated, and safety concerns are not unfounded. At least three N.H. residents have been infected with Triple E so far this year, including cases in Newfields and Hampton. Furthermore, learning how to use computers and other electronic tools has become a necessity in modern life.

“It’s all about balance,” Acerno said. “We’re not saying computers are bad, absolutely not, but too much of a good thing can create some issues for children.” 

As kids are conditioned to stay indoors—both by their own habits and the policies of their parents and communities—it is important to impress upon caretakers that it is in a child’s best interest to spend time outdoors. Acerno stressed that parents and children should take time to explore nature together.

“That’s where the parents come in, and convincing parents, as well, that it’s OK to be outside,” she said.

The push to get children outside does not mean hiking the entire Presidential Range, LeBlanc added. The solution can be as simple as walking the dog or strolling through a town forest. Families should take community-based, common sense measures to get their kids more active.

“This is a family issue. This is about connecting families,” he said.

The Leave No Child Inside forum will include a broad range of specialists brainstorming ways to help parents and children fit nature into their busy schedules. A diverse group of panelists will attack the issue from a number of different angles, addressing health, safety, education, environment, recreation and culture. There are even ways of implementing electronic gadgets into outdoor activities, Wyzga noted, pointing to the growing popularity of “geocaching,” an outdoor treasure hunt that uses GPS equipment.

“(The forum) is really calling in all of the different players who have an interest in this,” Wyzga said. “Hopefully, we will all come up with, by the end of that day, some actionable items, some ways we can start consciously tackling this.”

The forum, which is co-chaired by N.H. First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch, begins at 9:30 a.m. with a public session featuring a talk by Louv. A panel discussion will follow, featuring David Sobel, director of teacher certification programs in the N.H. Department of Education and director of the Center for Place-based Education at Antioch University; Jan McLaughlin, science curriculum and assessment consultant for the N.H. Department of Education; Steve Whitman, planner with Jeffrey H. Taylor and Associates of Concord and adjunct professor at Plymouth State University; Dr. Jose Montero, state epidemiologist with the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services; and LeBlanc. The discussion will be moderated by Cotton Cleveland, president of Mather Associates, a New England-based consulting firm specializing in leadership and organizational development. The entire event is free and open to the public.

Future activity from the N.H. Children in Nature Initiative will follow the success of the upcoming forum.

“We are hoping that this discussion will bring about a call to action around the state,” Acerno said. “The conversation itself is going to set the tone for what happens next.”

Visit www.nhpr.org to hear a recent interview with Richard Louv, who was a guest on NHPR’s The Exchange with Laura Knoy on Oct. 22. For more information about the Leave No Child Inside forum, visit www.wildlife.state.nh.us/ChildrenInNature.