A West Coast Look at Saving Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

“I like to play indoors better ’cause that’s where all the electrical outlets are,” reports a fourth-grader. Never before in history have children been so plugged in—and so out of touch with the natural world – Richard Louv

When I was young, my parents took me camping every summer. While this may have been an affordable vacation for my parents, it was a sensational time for me. There was nothing I would have rather done. I remember the excitement of getting up in the early morning to drive north from Southern Ontario to our favourite provincial park. As farmland replaced suburbs and forests replaced farms, my excitement grew until we finally arrived in the wilderness, flung open our car doors, and jumped out. I would run around too exited to be able to decide what I should do first: go swimming, try to catch frogs, or explore the beaches and rocky shores of Georgian Bay? My parents would set up the campsite and prepare lunch, while I went off playing by myself or with my brothers.

Canoeing in Algonquin Park (Photo: Norm Hooper)

Then, when I was in early high school, my teachers took our class for a weeklong canoeing trip through Algonquin Park. I remember paddling across one of the lakes, while my teacher dipped his cup in the lake and drank it—I was amazed! None of us had waterproof watches at the time, and there were no clocks around, so we would frequently ask our teacher, Mr. Bolton, what time was it? In response, he would look up at the sky, squint, and respond, “Quarter after.” When we asked again less than an hour later, Mr. Bolton would do the same thing—look up at the sky, squint, and respond, “Quarter after.” After a few more cycles through this question and answer scenario, we finally started to laugh, understanding that he had been joking with us—he couldn’t really tell time accurately by looking at the sky. I guess, in his own way, he was letting us know that time didn’t really matter out in the wilderness. That is, we certainly didn’t need to know the exact time every 30 minutes: even though he was our teacher, we were no longer in school, so we didn’t need to stick to timetables, periods, and bells.

When I went to university, I had no doubt about what I would major in: environmental studies and biology. Likewise, when I continued on to teachers college after university, I earned a certificate as an outdoor education teacher. Like other environmentalists, it was the abundant experiences in nature in my early years that had inspired me throughout my adult years.

In his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, American author Richard Louv speaks about nature-deficit disorder, a term he uses to describe the current relationship between children and nature. He states that children today no longer spend unstructured time alone, exploring nature. Although the term nature-deficit disorder does not yet appear in any medical book, Louv uses it to describe a set of symptoms linked to separation from nature, including an increase in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a rise in childhood obesity, a decrease in curiosity and creativity, a lack of respect for nature and the natural world, a lack of knowledge about local plants and animals, and a lowered sense of community.

His research led him to the conclusion that baby boomers, or those born shortly after, are probably the last generation to have run wild in the woods, freely exploring nature. Children born after 1980 have grown up in a different world, with little direct experience in nature and the natural world. Nowadays, electronic devices are everywhere. Television sets, video games, computers, and the Internet dominate children’s activities. But these types of entertainment are passive forms of physical and mental activity. As well, for children today, playtime is more structured, dominated by team sports that are played on level, groomed playing fields.

Playing with kayaks at the Elk Lake Regional Park (Photo: Janette Galan)

Fortunately, there is a cure for nature deficit disorder—and that is getting children back into the wild. Research shows when children have first-hand experiences with nature, they show reduced levels of ADHD, lower amounts of depression and anxiety, improved self-esteem, enhanced brain development, an increase in curiosity and creativity, and a heightened sense of community and connection to the environment.

While we cannot bring back the free-ranging childhood that baby boomers once experienced, safe zones can be created today for children to play and explore in nature. Louv’s childhood experiences refer to growing up in the American Midwest and exploring in the woods of the area. Here, on Canada’s West Coast, the term woods would be expanded to include the seashore and close-by islands and islets of our beautiful coastline. A kayak is a perfect way to explore these areas and play in this natural environment. I lead kayaking camps for 11 to 13-year-olds and 14 to 15-year olds, and I believe these camps, and others like them, are great ways for youth in our area to get out and experience nature, first-hand. In our kayaking camps, safe kayaking skills are learned alongside time for playing in nature and experiencing nature, key ingredients for battling nature-deficit disorder.

Kayaking under a bridge at Thetis Lake Regional Park

I recall one recent youth kayaking camp where we were about to ‘raft up’ in our sea kayaks to take a rest break during a lengthier paddle. Although we were quite a distance from shore, a young perching bird fluttered toward us and landed on the bow of Linden’s kayak. This was a joyful surprise for all of us, especially Linden, and we all hushed up and gazed. The chick rested for more than 30 seconds, unconcerned about us, catching its breath. Finally rested, and ready to finish the last leg of its flight, the chick hovered up and away, while we continued our journey to an adjacent shore, chatting enthusiastically about this amazing, first-hand experience with nature.

People who care about children and the future of the environment need to be concerned about nature-deficit disorder. If the disconnection between children and nature continues, who will be the environmental stewards of the future, and what kind of world will be left for today’s children to grow up in?

Ocean River Adventures offers kayaking camps for youth to get out and explore nature. Our weeklong Junior Kayaking Camp (ages 14-15 yrs) includes a three-day overnight kayaking trip to Sidney Island, while our weeklong Youth Kayaking Camp (ages 11-13 yrs) visits local lakes in our area and provides a tour to Brentwood Bay and Todd Inlet. Our 1-Day Youth Kayaking Camp (ages 11-13 yrs) and our 1-Day Junior Kayaking Camp (ages 14-15 yrs) take place at our local lakes.

Helping a wet dragonfly regain flight

And don’t worry, if you’re not a kid anymore, we offer lots of adult programs that will get you out kayaking in nature. For more information on all our programs, please visit www.oceanriveradventures.com