When Dave and I began thinking about starting a Nature Center, we both had our own sources of motivation. Our children we small at the time and I was immensely grateful that both of them had so many opportunities for outdoor exploration and play. Our lifestyle enabled them to go outside and use their young bodies and minds to learn and grow while spending their days with friends in a safe environment. I was aware, however, that other children were not afforded these same opportunities. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could level the playing field and allow more kids access to what nature has to offer?
Fast forward 30+ years…… our children are adults with families and wonderfully eventful lives. They both are connected to the outdoors even though it is in different ways, and both understand that having opportunities to grow up with direct access to the outdoors has made them who they are today.
While doing research to find specific examples of the benefits of connecting children to nature, I was amazed at the amount of documentation available. Please continue to visit this blog site as I pour over the literature and share the research with you. Our children are our most precious resource and we need to protect them and help them grow!
