I am guessing that electronic gifts proliferated this holiday season. We can’t seem to get enough new technology into our lives! At the push of a button we have movies, social games, electronic books, endless music, and so much more. Our leisure hours can be filled withso many incredible options that don’t even require leaving the comfort of our cozy, well–wired homes. While these allow us to expand our horizons in ways people never dreamed of, it is becoming increasingly difficult to strike a balance between the allure of the virtual and the electricity-free activities that engaged us in the past.
It is especially hard for children to break away from the captivating qualities of these new media. But it is important that they do. More and more research has been finding that our children are suffering from a serious deficiency as a result. This deficiency is affecting their ability to deal with stress, to achieve well in school, to keep their weight at healthy levels, and in general to cope with the pressures of daily life. It has been called the Vitamin N or Nature deficiency, and it is caused byourlack of time spent in nature. This Nature deficit canresult in a profoundly negative impact on healthy childhood development. To combat this trend, doctors, teachers and parents have been coming together to promote outdoor play as a prescription for good health. Locally, Dr. AnnekePribis worked with Children and Nature Saratoga and Saratoga Hospital to develop prescription pads that include suggestions for their young patients to get outside and play!
It may seem like a cliché to talk about New Year’s resolutions, but it is such a deeply ingrained part of our culture, why fight it! Why not use the turning of a calendar page to think about turning over some new leaves in our family habits? This might seem like bad timing here in the Northeast since King Winter has moved in and plans to stay awhile, thwarting our best resolutions! Don’t let the weather deter you. Remember, even though the days are shorter and colder the goal is to get outside. Hibernation, though tempting, is not part of the plan. Small, simple changes are the easiest to make and to keep, so here are some ideas we can all do to spend more time as a family in activities that take us outside to play.
For kids (and adults too) the key to enjoying the winter is to dress for the cold. So warm socks, waterproof boots, hats and gloves are the difference between having hours of fun and quickly becoming cold and wet. Once you are suited up, why not try a walk, sledding, or looking for animal tracks in the snow. Snow and ice offers myriad opportunities for the joys of unstructured and creative play - snow sculptures, forts, and tunnels can keep kids engaged for hours. Building mounds of snow and using them for backyard sledding never seems to get old. Fresh snow is perfect for making snow angels while old melting snow opens the door to fun with icicles. Snow enhances the light of the moon making winter the ideal time for taking a full moon stroll. If you have some outside gear, skating, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, and snowshoeing are the way to go. They combine time outdoors with healthy exercise and social interaction and will leave the whole family tired, rosy=cheeked and satisfied.
We live in an area where outdoor opportunities abound. A short list includes the Spa and Moreau State Parks, Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, the Saratoga Battlefield, and Saratoga PLAN preserves, all within a short hop from where we live. Of course the Adirondacks and Catskills are also within easy striking distance. But remember, you don’t have to surround yourselves with wilderness for your family to have fun outside. Keep it simple and stick with your resolution. You will be giving your child (and yourself) the priceless gift of happiness and good health with an infusion of Vitamin N for the New Year.
Children and Nature Saratoga’s website includes link to lots of great family outdoor fun.