Back to School:Back Outside

Reston, VA. Sept. 1 – As parents around the country purchase new pencils and backpacks, they may be surprised to learn “nature” is one more thing they should put on the back-to-school supply list. According to a new report by National Wildlife Federation, Back to School: Back Outside, time spent outdoors both during school and at home helps children become high-performance learners and score higher on standard tests.  

“Back-to-school time is traditionally time to come indoors and ‘hit the books,’ but to foster the focus and motivation needed to succeed academically, kids need to include outdoor time as part of their daily routine, either at school or home or both. The evidence in favor of nature as an educational tool is compelling but may be underappreciated by teachers and parents,” said Kevin Coyle, Vice President for Education and Training for the National Wildlife Federation and author of the Back-to-School report.

         improved classroom behavior,

·Get your kids to trade screen time for green time. Limit use of electronic media and encourage your children to just “go outside and play”. NWF has prepared a great Outdoor Family Fun Guide especially for the Fall season full of easy ideas to squeeze fresh air and green spaces into your family’s busy routine, ,

·increased student motivation and enthusiasm to learn,

·better performance in math, science, reading and social studies,

·reduced Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),

·higher scores on standardized tests (including college entrance exams),

·help under-resourced, low-income students perform measurably better in school. 78 percent believe children who spend regular time in unstructured outdoor play are better able to concentrate and perform better in the classroom,

·82 percent said students need daily unstructured outdoor time as a counterbalance to the significant time spent indoors in front of electronic media,

·75 percent said students who spend regular time outdoors tend to be more creative and better able to problem solve in the classroom

Back to school: Back Outside

A program that supports many of these outdoor features and learning is ECO-SCHOOLS USA,

Parents concerned about outdoor safety can team up with other parents to create outdoor co-ops, taking turns each week watching the kids while they play outdoors,

·Where safe, don’t be so quick to offer rides to school. Let your kids walk and encourage other moms in the neighborhood to do the same with their kids. Walking with your children is a great way for adults to get their daily exercise,

·Be an advocate for outdoor time at your children’s school. Suggest this for a topic at a PTA meeting and let your school’s principal know how you feel,

·Volunteer some time to green your child’s school grounds with more trees and natural vegetation,

·Support outdoor learning programs and let school administrators know that such programs are seen as valuable and should be part of your child’s school experience.  Speaking up can go a long way to making outdoor education a reality.