Many studies support the positive impact of children playing outdoors, but with the temptation of technology and screens, the indoors and outdoors can, at times, compete for their attention.
But screens and nature don鈥檛 have to be separate, explains Alex McKimm, Saplings outdoor program lead in Squamish.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 so much value to pairing indoor and outdoor education,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e have the benefit of being able to take a screen and research, say, what we鈥檙e listening to with what we鈥檙e seeing.鈥�
Whether identifying leaves online or researching bird calls, information gained indoors can enrich the outdoors experience, she explains.
What indoor learning can鈥檛 provide, though, is the sensory explosion of the outdoors, which surrounds children with sights, sounds and smells they just can鈥檛 get elsewhere, she says.
Conor McMullan, director of education at Cheakamus Centre, agrees. 鈥淟earning outdoors is very tactile, kinesthetic, and sensory鈥� in a way that engages a multi-intelligences approach.鈥�
Although it may just look like play, exploring the outdoors also fosters skills in children that complement those learned indoors, says McKimm. Such skills include cooperation, critical thinking, problem solving and participation, as well as a strong sense of self, says Stephanie Vigneux, nature connection mentor and program facilitator at Foragers School of Nature.听
There鈥檚 also a strong social and emotional component to playing outdoors, made all the more impactful by playing in a group, explains McMullan.
McKimm agrees. 鈥淭he magic is in the social dynamics,鈥� she says, adding that connections happen so naturally outdoors through helping friends climb trees or building mud pies together.
This type of group learning can be both transformative and inspirational, and provides an opportunity to give meaning and understanding to self-expression and creative exploration.
鈥淪o much of what kids are taught now is follow the rules, stay in the lines鈥�. I think that giving kids a completely blank slate is so valuable,鈥� says McKimm. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e taking a completely open structure and figuring out how they are going to play with it. They鈥檙e making their own decisions and directing themselves.鈥�
Parents, though, can get a bit distracted by the cold or the wet outdoors, or the fact that they鈥檙e really not getting very far, she notes. 鈥淏ut kids are like, 鈥業 don鈥檛 want to walk, I want to climb a tree and I want to pick up a rock and I want to look at the bug鈥� so if you鈥檙e willing to just sit back and see where they want to go, there鈥檚 huge value in that.鈥�
McMullan agrees. 鈥淭heir idea of exploring the outdoors is not going from A to B鈥� with a good heartrate built up. It鈥檚 going out and stopping and turning over the stones to find the bugs and millipedes.鈥�
Such free play is incredibly important, he says; it鈥檚 something we should strive to do more often and there are opportunities to do so everywhere in Squamish.
鈥淲e鈥檙e blessed in this part of the world where you don鈥檛 have to go far to find green space, and if it鈥檚 grey or if it鈥檚 wet, that doesn鈥檛 mean you have to be inside,鈥� he says, adding that you don鈥檛 have to trek to spectacular waterfalls to have an adventure.听
鈥淜ids, especially young ones, are so naturally curious that they鈥檙e going to find oodles of things right in front of them. Whether it鈥檚 the back yard or the front of the apartment building, there鈥檚 lots to explore.鈥�
And it鈥檚 never too early to start exploring, says McKimm.听
鈥淔oundations set in early years are key to building a lifelong connection with environmental stewardship.鈥澨�
But it takes commitment from parents, she says, to share in that exploration and build their child鈥檚 confidence and independence in the environment around them.
To make an outdoor experience as engaging as possible, McMullen suggests packing pieces of equipment such as clear plastic cups for scooping up stream water, small nets and magnifying glasses.
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Waterproof jackets and rainboots are also essential, adds McKimm, 鈥渂ecause puddles are awesome and some of the best experiences come from splashing and being soaking wet.鈥�
