Book: Last Child in the Woods - Saving our children from nature deficit disorder

Children need nature for their healthy development, - physical, emotional, and spiritual. Exposure to nature develops skills in problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making. Even creativity is stimulated by childhood experiences in nature. Today’s overscheduled children are increasingly “plugged in” to electronic devices and media and unplugged from the fundamental and formative experience of nature in their own neighbourhood. In his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder, Richard Louv (2005) refers to this nature-child disconnect as “nature deficit disorder”, the effect of withdrawing nature from children’s experiences.

In his book, Louv shares some of his own childhood nature experiences as well as those of some great environmentalists. Louv gathered the thoughts of many parents, teachers, scientists and other parties. What stands out is that many adults of today have had meaningful life shaping experiences in nature when they were a child, while children today are increasingly removed from nature. Louv pleads for a return to an awareness of and appreciation for the natural world. Not only can nature teach kids science and nurture their creativity, he says, nature needs its children: where else will its future stewards come from? Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s children to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, such as rises in obesity, ADD and depression. Last Child in the Woods sparked a movement in the US to reconnect children and nature. The book is a must read for teachers, parents, as well as developers and cityplanners. It will get you thinking.

(New Zealand readers, check out fishpond.co.nz for availability here)