Natural Playgrounds May Decrease Bullying.

The Dugout In The Weeds Or Leaves Beneath A Backyard Willow, The Rivulet Of A Seasonal Creek, Even The Ditch Between The Front Yard And The Road-all Of These Places Are Entire Universes To A Young Child.

The Pleasure Of Being Alive Is Brought Into Sharper Focus When You Need To Pay Attention To Staying Alive.

A Widening Circle Of Researchers Believes That The Loss Of Natural Habitat, Or The Disconnection From Nature Even When It Is Available, Has Enormous Implications For Human Health And Child Development. They Say The Quality Of Exposure To Nature Affects Our Health At An Almost Cellular Level.

Another British Study Discovered That Average Eight-year-olds Were Better Able To Identify Characters From The Japanese Card Trading Game Pokemon Than Native Species In The Community Where They Lived: Pikachu, Metapod, And Wigglytuff Were Names More Familiar To Them Than Otter, Beetle, And Oak Tree.

An Indoor (or Backseat) Childhood Does Reduce Some Dangers To Children; But Other Risks Are Heightened, Including Risks To Physical And Psychological Health, Risk To Children's Concept And Perception Of Community, Risk To Self-confidence And The Ability To Discern True Danger