The Natural Childhood report from the UK

The National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland has recently published a report in the UK that presents overwhelming evidence of a long-term and dramatic decline in children’s relationship with the outdoors, building on Richard Louv’s pioneering work, calling for urgent action before it is too late. The Natural Childhood report is written by Stephen Moss and shows that children’s connection with the outdoors is crucial to their development.

The Trust have set up an inquiry to gather evidence and ideas from experts and the public across the UK and other countries, the results of which will be reviewed and a roadmap agreed by UK experts this summer.

As part of the debate, they are running a series of thematic and expert guest blog postings each week at www.outdoornation.org.uk. They are currently running guest blogs about Natural Childhood Around the World. I wrote this weeks contribution from New Zealand, which you can view on their website.

 The full ‘Natural Childhood’ report can be accessed here on the National Trust’s website. Please show your support, get involved and give yourself and your children a daily dose of Vitamine N(ature)!

- Anja