NATURE DEFIC

IT D

ISORDER:

RESEARCH , TRENDS, A

ND

HOPEFUL SIG

NS

MARCELLA W

ELLS, P

H.D.

WELL

S RESOURCES, I

NC.

FORT

COLL

INS, C

OLORADO

JULY

9, 2

012

KIDS AND NATURE ...A SHORT HISTORY

2005: Richard Louv publishes, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

2006: Richard Louv speaks in Fort Collins; Children and Nature Connect – Northern Colorado formed.

2009: Colorado State SCORP acknowledges Kids and Nature2007:

National Children and Nature Network established.

2010: President’s America’s Great Outdoors acknowledges Kids and Nature

2008: Colorado Kids Outdoors (Denver) formed

2008: NPS, USFS, other federal and state agencies acknowledge Kids and Nature

2010: GoCo Strategic Plan

2009: California develops the first Children’s Bill of Rights

2009-10: Colorado Lt. Gov completes statewide listening session; proposed Colorado Children’s Bill of Rights

2009: First Colorado Kids Outdoors Day held in Denver

2005-2007: Google hits on “nature deficit disorder” go from 0 to 1 million

CHILDREN AND NATURE CONNECTION NORTHERN COLORADO

We envision a community that collaborates enthusiastically to promote meaningful relationships between children and nature.

1. Build Awareness2. Build Capacity3. Reduce Barriers

QUICK SUMMARY OF RESEARCH AND PROGRESS

• Indicators of Nature Deficit Disorder

• Benefits of Nature

• Some Emerging Ideas

• The Nature of Play

• Needed Evidence (Outcomes and Impact)

How Children Lost the Right to Roam in Four GenerationsBy David Derbyshire June 15, 2007

Indicators of NDD

•Playscapes

•Safety

•Time outside

•Technology

•Physical activity and health

•Obesity

•Freedom and autonomy

•Low eco-literacy

WHAT THE RESEARCH INDICATES

WHAT THE RESEARCH INDICATES

Benefits of Nature and Play

•Physical and mental health

•Growth and Development

•Student achievement

•Lower violence and aggression

•Cooperation and collaboration

•Greater Sense of Place

•Mentorship

EMERGING IDEAS

Health Programs • Rx Play• Let’s Move

Plethora of Other Programs

Toolkits • World Forum Foundation Toolkits• Colorado Communities Toolkit

Regional Planning• Plug into Nature• Experience Landscapes

EXPERIENCE LANDSCAPE

NATURE OF PLAY

Patterns of Play

•Attunement Play

•Body Play and Movement

•Object Play

•Social Play

•Imaginative and Pretend Play

•Storytelling-Narrative Play

•Transformative-Integrative and Creative Play

(Stuart Brown)

NEEDED EVIDENCEWells, Butler, & Koke, 2012

Helpful Resources:

Children and Nature Network (www.chidrenandnature.org)

National Institute for Play (www.nifplay.org)

Parents’ Guide to Nature Play (www.greenheart.org)

Exercise is Medicine (www.exerciseismedicine.org)

Let’s Move (www.letsmove.gov/outside)

Nature Rocks (www.naturerocks.org)Remember… we don’t want to be

the last generation for whom playing outside was

normal.