Is Your Child Afraid Of Nature?

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Is Your Child Afraid Of Nature?

Category Experiential Learning Outdoor Leadership Program

By Latika Payak

2015-10-05

Children who do not have significant contact with the natural world in their early years can become ‘biophobic’ or afraid of nature – EYFS research. Is your child a victim of this phenomenon?

Transformations happen in children when exposed to nature during their early childhood; something that’s achingly absent today. It’s disheartening to see how we fail to provide holistic education to our children. In countries like the UK, Australia and the US, the government has policies and programs within the education system that supports and encourages outdoor learning.

How the outdoors transform a child

A small trek in the hills can show parents how much potential their own child has in terms of personality and creativity. Once in the wilderness, children instinctively become inquisitive, confident, stronger and attentive. They start exhibiting qualities of leadership, team spirit, environmental consciousness and concern for those around them. It’s in nature that they get an opportunity to see and feel things. It brings to life the lessons they had learnt in their classrooms.

Students from DPS Bangalore

Overprotecting children can harm them

It’s not uncommon to come across children who’ve never climbed a tree or played hop scotch in the rain. We see children reluctant to get themselves ‘dirty’ by playing in mud and getting paranoid at the sight of blood from a small wound when they fall. Parents play a large role in overprotecting their children and depriving them of natural experiences out of fear that they will get hurt or ill. These fears pass on to children and they become more and more fearful and cut off from nature.

Considering we all are the part of a giant race where India is driving technology forward, there will be fewer hills and lakes around us as days go by. And the saddest fact is that the outskirts of our cities – some of which are still green and wild – will become concretized and unrecognizable in a while.

So the time is now. Instead of taking your children to the malls, take them to the hills. Show them how to scramble over rocks. Encourage them as they fall in love with the beauty of nature. Give them an experience that will forever be etched in their memories. 

Read more:

My father said I will not be able to climb the hill

My first Himalayan trek – diary of a 12-year-old

 

Latika Payak

Senior Content Writer

About the author

Latika is a Senior Content Writer and one of the rare team members who has seen Indiahikes from its initial days. She was among the first few to begin creating content at Indiahikes, documenting treks around Maharasthra, interviewing trekkers and writing their stories.

Latika started trekking after joining Indiahikes and has trekked to Roopkund, Hampta Pass, Kedarkantha, Dayara Bugyal, Tarsar Marsar, and Har Ki Dun.

With a strong background in print media and have worked with several publications. Latika is always hunting for great stories hidden in the folds of the mountains. Horror stories from ancient routes and villages of the Himalayas are her favourite.

She is presently working on bringing out news from the remote trekking regions of our country.