{"id":71,"date":"2022-08-06T13:03:11","date_gmt":"2022-08-06T13:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/?p=71"},"modified":"2022-09-13T13:55:52","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T13:55:52","slug":"connect-kids-with-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/better-family-time\/connect-kids-with-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"Ways to Connect Kids with Nature and Get Them Outside"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Is your child always glued to a screen? Read on if you&#8217;re looking for ways to connect kids with nature and get them outside. We&#8217;ve got some great ideas to help get your family to spend more time in the great outdoors. From nature scavenger hunts to camping trips, there&#8217;s something for everyone here. So pack up the sunscreen and head on out!<\/p>\n<h2>Tips for connecting children with nature<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Make it a family affair. Go outside together as a family and explore nature. Take hikes, go camping, or spend time in your backyard. The more time you spend together outdoors, the more likely your kids will be to develop a love for nature.<\/li>\n<li>Encourage them to get involved in local environmental initiatives. There are often opportunities to get involved in things like tree planting, community gardens, and beach cleanups. Getting kids involved in these activities can help instill a sense of stewardship for the natural world.<\/li>\n<li>Limit screen time. This one may be easier said than done, but try to limit the time your kids spend indoors in front of screens. Instead, encourage them to go outside and play, explore, and use their imaginations.<\/li>\n<li>Teach them about the importance of conserving natural resources. Help your kids understand why it&#8217;s important to conserve things like water and energy. You can also teach them about recycling and composting.<\/li>\n<li>Connect them with nature through food. Gardening is a great way to get kids interested in nature. They can help plant vegetables or flowers and then <a title=\"enjoy eating\" href=\"\/healthy-habits-for-families\/childrens-eating-habits\/\">enjoy eating<\/a> their labor&#8217;s fruits (or veggies). You can also take them foraging for wild edible plants or mushrooms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16\" src=\"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-connect-kids-with-nature-picture.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"987\" height=\"511\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-connect-kids-with-nature-picture.jpeg 987w, http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-connect-kids-with-nature-picture-300x155.jpeg 300w, http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/1-connect-kids-with-nature-picture-768x398.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 987px) 100vw, 987px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Show them how much fun you have outdoors. Let your kids see you enjoying time spent in nature. Go on hikes, bike rides, or kayaking trips. They&#8217;ll be more likely to want to join in on the fun if they see how much you enjoy it.<\/li>\n<li>Get them involved in citizen science projects. There are lots of ways for kids to get involved in collecting data for scientific research. This can help them feel like they&#8217;re doing something important while also getting them outside and connected with nature.<\/li>\n<li>Encourage unstructured play outdoors. Kids need time to explore and play without any rules or agenda. This can help foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world around them.<\/li>\n<li>Make it a learning experience. Take advantage of opportunities to teach your kids about the outdoors, plants, animals, and ecosystems you encounter. You can also use nature as a classroom to teach them about topics like math, science, and art.<\/li>\n<li>Have patience and be flexible. It might take some time for your kids to warm up to spend more time outdoors. Be patient and flexible, and eventually, they&#8217;ll come around.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18\" src=\"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/3-connect-kids-with-nature-picture.jpg\" alt=\"kids interested in nature\" width=\"1025\" height=\"548\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/3-connect-kids-with-nature-picture.jpg 1025w, http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/3-connect-kids-with-nature-picture-300x160.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/3-connect-kids-with-nature-picture-768x411.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1025px) 100vw, 1025px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The many benefits of connecting children to nature<\/h2>\n<p>There are many benefits to connecting children to nature. By doing so, children can better understand and appreciate the natural world around them. Additionally, they can learn how to care for and protect the environment.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most important benefits of connecting children to nature is that they can develop a better understanding and appreciation for the natural world around them. Children who have a strong connection to nature are more likely to be stewards of the environment when they grow up. Additionally, they will be more likely to appreciate the beauty of nature and take steps to protect it.<\/p>\n<p>Another benefit of connecting children to nature is that they can learn how to care for and <a title=\"protect the environment\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mothermag.com\/protecting-the-environment\/\">protect the environment<\/a>. When children understand the importance of taking care of the planet, they are more likely to make sustainable choices in their own lives. Additionally, they may be more likely to participate in activities that help to protect the environment, such as recycling or composting.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, connecting children to nature has countless benefits. Doing so can help them develop a better understanding and appreciation for the natural world around them. Additionally, we can encourage them to take care of the environment. In turn, this will lead to a healthier planet for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is your child always glued to a screen? Read on if you&#8217;re looking for ways to connect kids with nature and get them outside. We&#8217;ve got some great ideas to help get your family to spend more time in the great outdoors. From nature scavenger&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":113,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71\/revisions\/113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.pinecreeklandtrust.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}