It’s safe to say that while you, or your camper, are at Sonlight this summer, a lot of your time at camp will be spent outside. It makes sense, to me, that we spend so much time outside. There are some pretty cool mountains in our backyard, we have a really nice, big meadow to run around in, and it’s not humid. Why wouldn’t we be trying to spend literally all hours of the day outside?
I heard a kid say this the other day; actually the child said this in response to what I said. Now, I am currently living in Denver, a big city, and life looks a little differently here in comparison to Pagosa Springs, at least in some aspects. I told this child we were going outside for about 30 minutes and their response was, “ugh, I hate going outside”.
I had to take a step back and remember the world these kids are growing up in. Many of their lives are made up of a lot of daily screen time, whether it’s at school or home, and that’s what they know. I have been asking myself lately, why do we spend so much time outside at camp. What’s so important about getting kids outside? Well, there are so many reasons – it gets kids moving and active, it’s a different environment for them to think in, and I think it promotes creativity in kids.
In an interview with Florence Williams, the author of The Nature Fix:Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, she talks about her own experience in spending time in nature, as well as why our brains need time in nature. The link to the entire interview is below and I encourage you to read it and learn about a few reasons why time outside is good for not only kids, but everyone!
“One thing that’s great about the summer camp experience is kids get out outside for days and days at a time. For kids, improving patterns of self-esteem and confidence seem to be benefits associated with prolonged time in nature.” Florence Williams, The Restorative Powers of Nature
The Restorative Powers of Nature Article
The Restorative Powers of Nature, January 2018, ACA Camping Magazine