Feeling blue? Try going green!
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health for many people. According to the WHO, cases of anxiety and depression spiked by 25% globally. Most concerningly, this trend was most pronounced in young people. Children experienced the stress and social isolation caused by school lockdowns and not being able to visit friends and loved ones. Now, with back-to-school coming up, September can be a stressful time for kids and families, which can heighten mental health problems.
The documented rise of mental health conditions in children is a distressing statistic, especially since it is linked to other problems such as poor performance in school and increased susceptibility to illness. However, new promising research offers some hope that can be found right in your own backyard.
Several recent studies have discovered a connection between nature play and better mental health in children. In one Vancouver study, researchers found a positive correlation between childhood health and development and how close they lived to a green space. This study found that trees were better than grass and grass better than pavement. Another literature review found that children with more exposure to green space had “better memory, attentiveness, and emotional wellbeing.”
The Children & Nature Network has compiled an extensive collection of resources about the importance of time in nature for children and families.
Benefits of green spaces infographic. Children & Nature Network.
As it turns out, many researchers have been looking into the connection between time in nature and mental health! At NatureKids, we believe that getting outdoors is vitally important to children’s physical and psychological well being. That’s why we went about trying to find out more.
This study focused on the link between outdoor “adventurous play” and the mental wellbeing of British children during the first Covid-19 lockdown. Based on surveys of almost 2,500 parents, the researchers discovered a correlation between children who spent more time engaging in free play outside, where they might experience some risk and lower rates of anxiety and depression. These children were also less mentally impacted by the lockdown.
Helen Dodd, a professor of child psychology at the University of Exeter who directed the study, had this to say:
“This is really positive because play is free, instinctive and rewarding for children, available to everyone, and doesn’t require special skills. We now urgently need to invest in and protect natural spaces, well-designed parks and adventure playgrounds, to support the mental health of our children.”
Ella, a NatureKids BC club member, exploring the beach
Healthy by Nature is an offshoot of the BC Parks Foundation that aims to connect British Columbians to the outdoors. They have compiled research on the importance of getting outside and the health benefits that nature can bring. WildSight is an organization that advocates for outdoor education and hands-on learning in Eastern British Columbia. More and more organizations are recognizing the importance of the outdoors to mental health.
Exposure to nature can be so beneficial to your physical and mental wellbeing that Dr. Robert Zarr suggests that doctors prescribe outdoor time as a treatment for certain ailments such as anxiety disorders. He is the founder of Parks Rx America, and his organization encourages doctors and patients to think of nature as therapeutic.
“There are hundreds of scientific studies that show a positive, strong correlation between time in nature and improved health outcomes. These physiological changes include a decrease in cortisol, which is a stress hormone. We can actually watch that number drop by virtue of spending more time in nature.”
By writing prescriptions, Dr. Zarr hopes to help people think of being in nature not as a luxury to get around to if you have time but as an essential part of your routine. Patients, healthcare providers, and anyone else can access the PRA website, which helps them write a prescription that suits their lifestyle. His work was featured in this article by the Children & Nature Network.
Dr. Melissa Lem took inspiration from the Parks RX project and founded a Canadian version, called PaRx, in association with Healthy by Nature and the BC Parks Foundation. Their website is full of interesting studies on the benefits of nature and tips on how to get outside in the way that’s best for you. Like the original, PaRx encourages medical professionals to prescribe nature time to patients. They are careful to warn about the side effects of such a prescription, including increased energy, a better mood, and living longer.
NatureKids Comox Valley, Strathcona Park Hike, 2018
While most of the studies conducted to date are only correlational, they all point in the same direction: more time spent in nature is connected to improved mental health and wellbeing. This is something we at NatureKids strongly believe in and feel passionate about.
From Vancouver Island to the Rocky Mountains, our province offers so many unique ecosystems and incredible outdoor places. Our mission is to facilitate children and families getting outside to learn, play, and explore.
Drop us a comment to tell us about your experiences in nature, and don’t forget to sign your family up for your local NatureKids BC chapter today!