Why Kids Need Outdoor Time
Many researchers agree that kids who play outside are happier, better at paying attention and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. Spending time in nature can build their confidence. There’s a lot less structure than most types of indoor play and they can choose how they interact with the nature around them. This gives them practice managing their own actions and encourages creativity and imagination. Being outdoors can also teach them responsibility. For example, if they are in charge of watering a plant, they can learn that they must take care of living things to keep them alive. Being outside gets kids moving, too. Regardless of what they’re doing, there’s usually more exercise involved than if they were sitting on the couch. Not only is exercise good for kids’ bodies, but it seems to make them more focused. This is especially helpful for kids with ADHD. Being outside also helps kids feel less stressed. – Child Mind Institute
From a personal perspective, having a child that has had to be at home part- or full-time for school, it’s easy to see what a difference an in-school setting makes. Kids have not been able to socialize in person, so they’re doing it online; they haven’t had time for recess, so they have more pent up energy; and they have had to work through online schooling instead of being in a classroom being hands on with their subjects. All of this can be discouraging, until we realize we have the tools to counteract this new shift. The outdoors is an excellent venue to see so much progress and positive challenges concerning socialization, problem-solving, and cooperative action. When someone is scared of running a rapid, kids step in and provide a closer empathy than an adult sometimes can. If someone is frustrated by a situation within their control, reminding them that perfection is not the standard and having patience with themselves and others will not only make them perform better, but make their whole group feel better, is a valuable life lesson that they will carry forward. Putting kids in controlled situations where they are trying something brand new, or challenging themselves in a new setting is something that makes a direct connection to their home life as well as their vision of who they are and who they want to be.
Being in the outdoors is an empowering, fulfilling experience for kids. Those experiences impact them in so many positive ways that follow them through their lives, making more compassionate, more conscientious kids who grow into more empathetic and creative adults.
The month of June, Need More Outdoors has been hard at work with Endless River Adventures getting kids outside. In addition to Endless River Adventures, we have been getting kids outdoors with the help of our partnership with the nonprofits Diversify Whitewater.and Mainspring Conservation Trust.
Learn to Kayak Camp
On June 3 and 4, Endless River Adventures (ERA) was able to celebrate diversity in our local kid’s community with a two-day Kids Learn to Kayak Camp. Diversify Whitewater and Need More Outdoors (NMO) provided full scholarships to nine local Swain County Middle Schoolers for this camp. Not only did these kids learn the basics of whitewater kayaking, they were also able to work on their leadership skills and teamwork. Kids who may not have had the funds, or have thought there was not a space for them in the whitewater world, were able to experience, and hopefully foster a love for, a sport that allows for empowerment and strength.
Kids Love EcoSplash Camps
Thanks to Need More Outdoors, there have been lots of kids in the EcoSplash Camps with ERA – and there are more to come! EcoSplash camps are set up to get kids outside and appreciating the natural world they see in front of them. This month, kids were able to raft and duckie down local class 2 rivers, hike to streams and look for aquatic macroinvertebrates – including hellgrammites, caddisfly larvae, and crawdads, catch fish using fish shocking, and snorkel in the clear mountain streams looking at fish in their natural habitats. Not only did these local children get to see and sometimes hold these creatures, they also were able to learn about them from our friendly scientists at Mainspring Conservation.
Partnering with School Programs
Graham County Middle School brought a total of 13 kids together for a custom 2- day EcoSplash camp. Mainspring Conservation Trust was brought in to partner with ERA and NMO to make this 2- day camp amazing!! The kids were lively and full of curiosity about the local flora and fauna. Thanks to some of the teachers at the school, we were able to find kids who may not normally be able to do Summer Camps like EcoSplash that had the desire to learn more about the streams in their backyard. While shocking fish, they were able to catch trout, sculpins, and red eye bass, and learn about what the presence of each fish meant.
More about Need More Outdoors and Summer Fun for Kids
Need More Outdoors’s mission is to empower young people through outdoor adventures and education found in western North Carolina. Scholarships are available for individuals, groups and school programs. This summer the focus is on our Kayak Camps and EcoSplash Camps. The NMO scholarships make it possible for young people in WNC to participate. Check out upcoming EcoSplash Camps this summer and whitewater kayak camps as well.
If there is a date that looks good to you, give Endless River Adventures a call to set up your child in camp!
Endless River Adventures
828-488-6199
info@endlessriveradventures.com