Reconnecting the world's children to nature - Call to Action

Recently I wrote an article for the new e-Newsletter "Wonder" from the Nature Action Collaborative for Children (NACC), an international initiative sponsored by the World Forum Foundation. The collaborative is bringing together people from a variety of professions, including landscape architects, representatives from environmental groups, health care professionals, and early childhood educators. Membership is free and open to anyone interested in sharing ideas and information about effective ways to connect children with the natural world.

The early childhood years are the years that children develop a sense of respect and caring for the natural environment. Experiences play a critical role in shaping lifelong attitudes and values towards the natural world. Children who are close to nature develop a sense of wonder and a joy of discovery, experiences which enhance their learning, now and later in life. Frequency of nature interactions during the early years are important. Many children today are not exposed to the natural world in a joyful and meaningful manner and become disconnected from the natural world.

To address the concern of children’s diminishing connection with the natural world, the NACC had their second working forum in the US earlier this year. At this forum, a “Call to Action” was read. You can read and download the complete Call to Action on the World Forum Foundation web site. You are invited to sign on individually or as a family as an endorser of the “Call to Action” here. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a boardmember, a chief executive, or any other caring adult, please share it widely, around your community and around the world. The wonders of nature know no boundaries.

Children from Fiji - Sri Lanka - Holland - Indonesia - Mexico - Malaysia - New Zealand - Japan and Canada share nature at our preschool.

How do you think you can participate?