Avoiding nature deficit disorder in your children
Posted by Lisa Carey
Do children get to enjoy the beauty and excitement of nature? Or are parents too worried about dirt, germs, and safety to allow them to explore? Read our answers to our children about nature, the environment, and why we reduce, reuse, recycle, and attempt to live a more green life.
As a parent, I want to teach my young children to know “reading, writing, and arithmetic,” but I also want them to know the three “R’s” of reduce, reuse, and recycle. But what is a parent to say when their children asks them, “Why?” Since I have children, aged 3 to 21, I get asked this question quite frequently. I found one of the best ways to answer the question of why reduce, reuse, and recycle–as well as live life greener–is to make sure my children understand the beauty of nature and how our efforts to protect the environment also protect nature.
This week, our family had a unique opportunity to participate in turtle research and their refuge (without a trip to Costa Rico, unfortunately); visit a 90,000 acre federally protected wildlife refuge, see many vanishing animals protected in a natural wildlife habitat of the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, and visit with sea life in their own habitat.
Sea Turtle, Inc. South Padre Island, TX
This sea turtle rescue and refuge allows everyone to realize the damage that trash and not caring for our oceans can do to turtles. One exhibit includes broken sunglasses, plastic bottles, and other trash that ends up in the ocean for seal life, and especially turtles, eat because they don’t know that it’s not food. Sea life ends up being injured or killed as a result of coming in contact with this trash. The children were able to visit with turtle hatchlings (no touching, of course), learn about different types of turtles, how they live, and see some injured turtles that are now permanently being cared for at this center. Entrance fee/donation: $3.00/adults and $1.00/children. Children under 5 free. Be sure to visit the gift store for other opportunities to support this sea turtle research, rescue, and educational center and local artisans.
Get down and dirty: Play in the sand
Parents–you can do this just about anywhere. It’s good for children to get a little dirty and experience what nature is like. Visit a beach so they can collect a few shells (be sure to only take a few as they are needed right where they are). If you don’t have a beach, that’s okay; with a Rubbermaid container, some shells from a craft store, and a bag of sand, you can create a learning experience in your backyard.
South Padre Island offers many other natural learning opportunities, but our favorites included:
The South Padre Island Dolphin Research & Sea Life Nature Center is a nonprofit organization that offers hands on exhibits and opportunities to visit with sea life up close and personal. The children even got to feed the hermit crabs. Entrance fees is $3.00/per person.
The Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge offers walking, biking, and driving tours throughout these federally protected lands that are an attempt to provide homes especially for the every lessening population of the aplomado falcons, ocelots, and jaguarondi. Entry fee is $3.00.
The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, rivals some of the larger and better known zoos I have visited, including Houston, San Antonio, and San Diego. This zoo is home to some 1600 animals, 26 acres of plant life, and is known for its success in breeding endangered species. The layout of the zoo allows visitors to get up close and personal with the animals in recreated natural habitats. Entrance fees are $9.00/adults and $6.00/children.
The Original Dolphin Watch at The Sea Ranch Marina takes you out into the causeway and the gulf in search of dolphins and other natural sea life. What is most impressive about this eco-tour and dolphin watch is the knowledge that our captain has about the sea life they brought on board. During the first portion of the tour, a shrimping net that was thrown out is brought on board. They then put the “catch” into sea water and provide a very knowledgeable presentation on each item. Because of a recent “red tide” (which damages the ocean and sea life), our catch was limited to three items: a blue crab, a “starfish”, and a lizard fish (which is actually not even from these waters, but have somehow found their way to the Gulf). The children were especially fascinated with the “star fish.” After the presentation, the animals were returned to the ocean unharmed, and our party was off to view the pod of approximately 10 dolphins we were lucky enough to encounter. Costs are $16.00/adults and $13.00/children.
As you can see, avoiding nature deficit disorder can be expensive or it can be free. You may not have these opportunities available to you near your home, so maybe you can create them, or include opportunities to visit nature and the environment whenever possible. Then, when your children ask you “why” we recycle, reduce, and reuse items, you can provide them with real life explanations that will make a difference in their lives.
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. ~Native American Proverb
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Great info Lisa… outside of children understanding the basics of why it’s important to take care of our environment, being out in Nature really is soooo important for normal growth and development. There is a book out now called “Last Child in the Woods” and it talks about Nature Deficit Disorder and how it’s becoming more of a real phenomenon in children everywhere.