Nature Deficiency
Here at The Wildman School of Bushcraft we specialise in re-engaging young people back to an understanding of nature. An increasing amount of young people are becoming what is now termed as Nature Deficient, this disorder is not a medical condition — it describes our lack of a relationship to the environment. It impacts on our children, our families, our communities and our environment.
Children learn about the outdoors by interacting with it. Experts say that educators and parents need to increase the number of child-environment interactions. Many children have limited opportunities to experience the outdoors. Studies show children in urban areas tend to show unfounded fears and feelings of disgust in relation to natural objects, the result is that a lot of children are at risk of never developing a positive attitude towards nature.
Research shows that outdoor education enriches children’s lives in fundamental ways. Children who learn and play outdoors have:
Better health and a lower risk of obesity
Stronger immune systems
Longer attention spans
More creativity
Higher levels of self-confidence
Higher standardized test scores
Greater academic success
Significant improvements in cognitive development, self-discipline, imaginative and creative expression, language skills, and social interactions
An appreciation of the beauty and value of nature
Developed critical thinking skills
An awareness of biodiversity and conservation
An understanding of community resources
Become active members of the community
Recognized that individuals do indeed make a difference
More information on Nature Deficiency can be found at Education.com