Comments on: NWF Book Club: Last Child in the Woods

By: Bernadette L Wilson

Bernadette L Wilson — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:14:00 +0000

I am enjoying the book immensely. The wealth of background knowledge is tremendous. What I, as an educator in an urban setting, am struggling with is how do I get my kids outside. I feel as though I have to educate parents and of course the first step is for my understanding of the issue to be up-to-date. More practical advice, implementation strategies would be helpful for those of us who want to make this the reality in the schools we work in, but struggle to begin the process.

By: Tricia Tillmann

Tricia Tillmann — Fri, 04 May 2012 22:30:00 +0000

For as long as I can remember, unstructured outdoor play has been a critical part of my development. By unleashing the structure that so often surrounds my thoughts and days, unstructured outdoor play stimulates my creativity, reveals new solutions to problems, and deepens my connection with nature. Playing outside makes me feel as if I have just woken up from a deep and restorative sleep: I feel refreshed, healthy, and more keen mentally. These experiences certainly shaped my deep and positive relationship with nature and my life choices, pushing me toward a career in environmental policy.

With regard to Louv’s thesis, I think he is right. Nature Deficit Disorder exists and kids need time outside to make that all-important connection to nature. How can you ask someone to protect something they have no connection to? On the long list of things people have to worry about on a daily basis, it is the connection to nature that will ultimately make an environmental cause rise to the top of someone’s list – and stay there.

By: Becky McIntire

Becky McIntire — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:59:00 +0000

I went to school on Whidbey Island and don’t recall any formal environmental education, just a marine biology field trip or two. But my grandmother subscribed me to Ranger Rick magazine, and I expect that had an impact on my views of the natural world. I spent much of my free time in the woods or at the beach, in completely unstructured play and exploration. The time I spent outside definitely helped shape my attitudes about the natural world.