A Guide to the Healthy Parks Healthy People Approach and Current Practices

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Made for each other: connecting children
with nature
There is a growing body of research confirming
that spending time in nature is vital for children’s
physical, emotional, intellectual, behavioural and
spiritual health. There are a range of practical
solutions to encourage and enable children and
families to spend more time in nature. A variety
of approaches from different international
settings has sparked new ideas for collaboration,
communication and education.
There is a risk that this generation of children is
the last generation with a connection to nature.
Society is now more risk adverse and the area
that children can roam and play outside has
decreased by 80 per cent. The shift to more time
indoors has long term consequences such as
childhood obesity, mental health issues and
behavioural disorders. How can parks and
protected areas play a larger role in prevention of
these health issues?
Summary of session and discussion
The new cultural norm for children means they
have limited time and opportunity to explore the
world and may not achieve mental, social and
physical development due to not having access to
the same outdoor experiences as their parents’
generations.
Play spaces in parks do not need to be big, but
they do need to:
– be protected so that play can develop naturally
without being interrupted by others
– empower children to control their experience
– be challenging and allow an element of risk
– include a microcosm of the whole park, where
possible
– to be made of natural materials that evolve
and grow naturally, where possible
Connecting nature to a tradition will enshrine
nature into the social fabric and become a habit,
for example the Cherry Blossom festival in Japan.
It is important to educate children’s caregivers,
teachers and also park managers in order for
them to actively facilitate and empower children
to explore and experience nature and take
calculated risks.
Play benefits us all, including children and older
people, as the benefits are universal.
Session manager
Deborah Prentice, Parks Victoria, Australia
Session contributors
– Maria Zotti, Department for Environment, Water And
Natural Resources and Nature Play South Australia,
Australia - Case study of a South Australian Government
initiative to connect children to nature - Nature Play SA an
organisation dedicated to making outdoor play in nature
an everyday part of childhood again!
– Robin Christie, Childspace, New Zealand - Bringing nature
to life: connecting children to nature, when and where
they play
– Deborah Prentice, Parks Victoria, Australia - Connecting
kids with parks by connecting the lead agencies with each
other
– Linda Lanterman, Kansas State Parks, Department of
Wildlife Parks and Tourism, USA - Contribute to an
international health solution: prescription play in parks
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