May 2006

Raising a Nature Lover

By Janice Lovelace

“Go outside and play” was a refrain I heard often while growing up. My love of nature developed early as I learned about the natural world right in my own backyard – watching snails and worms and a multitude of insects as well as birds, rabbits and small animals. One year I found a turtle that had wandered too far from the nearby stream. Summer nights meant catching fireflies, watching them, and letting them go free. Years of family and scout camping trips as well as hikes in nearby woods in every season deepened my love of the outdoors. These are the memories of my childhood.

According to Richard Louv, in his book The Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder (Algonquin Books, 2005), today’s children are suffering from a disconnection with the natural world. He presents research linking disorders like Attention Deficit Disorder, obesity and depression to this disconnection. Sebastino Santostefano, director of the Institute for Child and Adolescent Development in Wellesley, Mass., has found that “nature can play a significant role in helping traumatized children. It is how they work through issues.” A Cornell University study found that “the protective impact of nearby nature is strongest for the most vulnerable children – those experiencing the highest level of stressful life events.”

Nature is a great stress reducer for all children, not just those with emotional problems. As an offshoot of this, Louv suggests that more experiences with nature will help improve standardized test scores, increase creativity and develop problem-solving skills in children. Less stressed, more creative and happier children – all qualities a parent wants to encourage.

What can you do to help your child become more “Nature Proficient”?

1. Head out the back door. You don’t have to go far to start exploring nature. Spend time with your child in your yard to see what bugs, birds and animals you can find. A simple magnifying glass can open up small wonders in the soil. Dig a little to find earthworms. Watch bees collect nectar. Hang up a bird feeder to attract birds. Identify those that come to your yard with identification charts or books. Notice the seasonal differences in trees, plants, birds and bugs. Learn how nature prepares for colder weather, and welcomes the warmer weather. Consider making your yard a National Wildlife Federation certified “Backyard Wildlife Habitat” by providing the basics of food, water and shelter for wildlife (1-800-822-9919; www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat).

2. Go to the park. Head to your neighborhood park to see a greater variety of trees and maybe a stream or pond. This area is abundant with parks, small and large. With more than 500 acres, Seattle’s Discovery Park is one of the most varied, as you can walk along the beach, skirt a meadow or follow a forest trail. The Mercer Slough Nature Park in Bellevue will fascinate adults along with children. The 300 acres are in the shadow of Interstate 90, yet when you walk the path you are insulated from city noise. Large trees house a variety of bird species, and the waterway alongside the walking path attracts waterfowl, like ducks and loons. Experience the Slough from the other side – the water – every Saturday from May to September, as Bellevue park rangers offer a three-hour guided canoe trip for $12 ($10 Bellevue residents). While paddling, you might see otters, herons, and turtles up close. Children 5 and older are welcome on the canoe. If staying on the ground is more to your liking, consider a free, guided nature walk with a ranger (425-452-2752; www.ci.bellevue.wa.us). Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland offers wetlands with boardwalks and a meadow. Bring binoculars and watch waterfowl and eagles. Rangers offer one-hour guided walks the first Sunday of the month starting at 1 p.m. (425-828-2237; www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/depart/parks).

3. Plant a garden. Children love to watch plants grow, so add quick growers like radishes to your garden. Let the kids plant a few seeds, water the plants and help care for them. Adults may need to do the weeding, as little fingers struggle with this. Don’t have yard space for a garden? Try containers on a patio or porch to grow some flowers or vegetables. Sunflowers are a big thrill for children; they can grow 9 feet tall with stems an inch in diameter. May is the best time to plant tomatoes, pumpkins, squash and scarlet runner beans, all favorites with children.

4. Visit a public garden. Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum, near the University of Washington, is amazing in the variety of natural experiences it offers year-round. In spring, walk along Azalea Way to discover hundreds of multi-colored azaleas and rhododendrons. Check out the Winter Garden on the gray days of December and January. In addition, walk the waterfront trails leading to Lake Washington to watch ducks and geese. The Arboretum provides two different Family Adventure Packs – one to learn more about the Foster Island waterfront trails and the other to learn about different trees in the Arboretum. Field guides, binoculars and maps are included for the $5 rental fee. (To reserve a Family Pack call 206-543-8801.)

Tacoma’s garden gem is Point Defiance Park. Spring offers the wild rhododendrons in an older growth forest area, while summer offers spectacular dahlias. The Japanese Garden is beautiful in all seasons. For a more compact garden area, head to the Bellevue Botanical Garden. Pick up a map at the Visitor’s Center to walk on your own, or plan a visit on Saturday or Sunday afternoon to take a free, guided tour. Many plants are identified with signs, and it is an easy walk for children. The Seattle Tilth Garden at the Good Shepherd Center in Seattle’s Wallingford area has a children’s garden with school and summer programs. To see some different plants, head inside to the glass-paned Conservatory at Volunteer Park in Seattle to view their extensive collection of cacti and unusual plants. In Tacoma, explore the tropical plants and rotating seasonal flowers at Seymour Botanical Conservatory in Wright Park.

5. Take a hike. Start with short easy hikes, as children may tire easily and then need to be carried back! Read about the area before the hike and discuss what plants, trees or small animals you might see. Check out Joan Burton’s Best Hikes with Children books (Mountaineer Books, 1999). She ranks the difficulty of each hike and describes some of the pleasures to be found. Take a trip to Mount Rainier in the summer to see the wildflowers at Paradise. There are several easy walks starting from the Jackson Visitor Center. If you are lucky, you will see birds, small animals like marmots, and maybe even grazing deer, along with the amazing display of wildflowers in late July and August.

6. Get on the water. Rent a canoe or kayak to explore water wildlife up close. The Waterfront Activities Center, located behind Husky Stadium in Seattle, rents canoes and rowboats for $7.50 an hour (206- 543-9433). Row south towards Marsh and Foster Islands. You may paddle under a bridge walkway used by visitors to the Washington Park Arboretum. The marshy areas are great for seeing birds hunting for fish, as well as the occasion turtle sunning himself on a log. Children will enjoy a close-up view of water lilies in the summer and may see a frog. The Northwest Outdoor Center, located on Lake Union, offers kayak rentals. No experience is necessary if you kayak nearby. The Center for Wooden Boats, on south Lake Union, rents boats and teaches sailing in small boats to children 9 and older throughout the summer (206-382-2628; www.cwb.org).

7. Go camping. The experience of sleeping outside is exciting for children because the sights, sounds and smells are so different from the city. Consider a group camping experience with an established organization. Try a ‘work party weekend’ repairing trails, replanting trees, fixing steps and painting around campsites. Central Puget Sound Council of Camp Fire USA welcomes adult and child volunteers to their two campsites in the spring and fall. Everyone works during the day, but there are special activities in the evening (206-461-8559; www.campfire-usa.org/camp/familycamp). IslandWood, an environmental learning center on Bainbridge Island, sponsors several family weekend Adventure Camps in the summer, as well as overnight camps for children entering grades four to six. There is a backpacking trip to the Olympic Mountains for those in grades seven to ten (206-855-4300; www.islandwood.org). Many of the Washington state parks have overnight camping sites that can be reserved. Some are tent camping only, while others welcome campers and RVs (1-888-226-7688; www.parks.wa.gov). If your children belong to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts or Camp Fire, they will learn about nature and make frequent trips to hike, backpack and tent camp over the years.

8. Explore nature programs. Abundant outdoor opportunities in Western Washington makes it a prime spot for nature programs. Two exciting local programs for children are Rite of Passage Journeys and the Wilderness Awareness School. Rite of Passage Journeys uses outdoor experiences to help children make the transition to more responsibility as young adolescents. Their Apprentice Journey, for those entering grades four to six, is a seven-day introduction to help kids get comfortable in nature. A group of nine children explore the outdoors through day hikes, tent camping and nature games. They learn tracking and connect it with why certain animals travel to or live in specific areas. The organization also offers three-week journeys for young adolescents entering grades six and seven (425-485-7396; www.icajourneys.org). The Wilderness Awareness School offers a series of summer day camps and overnight camps for children to become more aware of nature and learn survival skills for the backcountry. Children ages 6 to 12 are welcome in the day camps located in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland and Carnation. The overnight camps and expeditions are for ages 11 to 18. In addition, the school offers family programs to learn about animals, plants, tracking and survival skills (425-788-1301; www.wildernessawareness.org).

9. Sign up for nature workshops. Nature based workshops are offered throughout the year. The Seattle Audubon Society offers summer day camps at Sandpoint/Magnuson Park for children from first grade through high school. They have family activities year-round that focus on a range of natural science activities, not just birding (206-528-7779; www.seattleaudubon.org). There are more than a dozen Audubon Societies in Washington state, including chapters in Olympia, Kirkland, Poulsbo, Everett, Auburn and University Place (www.audubon.org/states). The Pacific Science Center offers summer day camp programs for children as young as 5. Some are at the Seattle Center site and others are at Mercer Slough in Bellevue (206-443-2001; www.pacsci.org). The Tacoma Nature Center offers day camps throughout the summer for ages 4 to 11. They also offer a number of family outings throughout the year that all will enjoy. (253-591-6439; www.metroparkstacoma.org). To read more about the Tacoma Nature Center, click here for an article from Puget Sound Parent, April 2006. Children will find themselves working out in the garden at Seattle Tilth’s weeklong summer Garden Adventure Day Camps for ages 5 to 10. They will learn about growing organic vegetables and flowers, as well as the world of insects and worms (206-633-0451; www.seattletilth.org).

10. Go tide pooling. Several times a year, especially around the summer and winter solstices, there are very low tides (-1, -2) in the Puget Sound area that uncover areas of the beach rarely seen. Search the tide pools at low tide and see a multitude of sea stars, anemones and small crabs. Maybe your eyes will be keen enough to spot an octopus hiding among the rocks. During low tides, naturalists are often found at Seattle’s Alki, Carkeek, and Discovery Parks, and Edmonds’ Brackett Landing (at the Ferry dock) to give guidance on what you are seeing. Tongue Point, near Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula, is one of the best spots to see coastal tide pools. The marine variety is greater than in the inland waters of Puget Sound. Remember to wear old shoes and pants that can get damp and sandy.

11. Keep a nature journal. This is a fun way to keep track of what you and your child have seen. Sketch or take photos to remember the sights. Add a few written lines about where and when you made the observation. Each year, review what natural wonders you have discovered.

Janice Lovelace is a Bothell writer, child psychologist, and nature lover.

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