By Christine Reid.

Well, it’s the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. So, where are all the kids? Are they shinnying up trees, making forts or playing hide and go seek in the tall grass? Probably not. The book “Last Child in the Woods,” by Richard Louv, and numerous studies and reports all bemoan the fact that children these days spend less and less time outdoors. Kids, of all ages, are hooked up to computers, video game systems and other technological marvels many hours of the day and are suffering from what Louv calls nature deficit. This disconnect from the outdoors can lead to all sorts of problems from obesity and depression to a stifling of creativity and more. 

Studies have shown that spending time outdoors can improve a child’s distance vision, lower stress, raise vitamin D levels and may help reduce attention deficit symptoms. If they play outdoor games, their physical fitness can improve, as well.

Let’s make this simple. Parents, if you’d like to help your children feel better, learn about nature and have fun, the old-fashioned way, just do this: TAKE THE KIDS OUTSIDE.

One of the best and easiest ways to encourage your family to spend more time outdoors is to get them into the garden. Even though July is outside regular planting times, there are still many ways to enjoy the garden. For instance, kids can start a nature journal. Taking an old spiral notebook, or using cardboard for the covers and printer paper for the text, kids can create their own book and write nature-inspired poems or stories or draw what they see in the garden. They can  also take photographs of their favorite flowers and plants and put them in their journal. 

If birds are pecking the tomato plants, the kids can create a scarecrow to protect the garden. Have them gather up old clothes, shoes, a belt, hat and more. Help out by hammering two narrow boards in a cross and then let the kids dress the body by using the clothes, stuffed with straw or other old clothes. They can pack an old t-shirt with rags to make a head for the scarecrow and then draw on eyes, a nose and mouth. Prop him up near the tomatoes. It may not work but the kids will have had some fun!

Along with being fun and educational, many outdoor projects cost little to nothing. A lot of them use recycled materials or things that most people already have on hand in their home. It also enables kids to see firsthand the benefits of recycling. For instance, they can take plastic milk jugs, cut out openings, decorate, fill with bird seed and hang in the garden. The birds will be happy and there’s one less thing to go into the trash.

Let the kids gather seeds for next year’s planting. While they’re collecting seeds from plants that are at the end of their life cycle, help them identify the flowers and plants. Then have them write the names on the paper bags where the seeds will be stored, somewhere cool and dry, until the appropriate planting time.

Children can preserve flowers that they especially like. Put out a large piece of cardboard and lay two sheets of newspaper on top. Cut off the roots and lay the stem and flowers, not recently watered, on the newspaper, making sure the plants don’t touch each other. Cover with two more sheets of newspaper and keep adding layers until you’re done. Put a large piece of cardboard on top, tie up with string or large rubber bands and keep in a cool, dry place for at least ten days. The kids can then use the dried blooms to make greeting cards or bookmarks.

Another fun project is making seed balls or, as they’re sometimes called, seed bombs. This is actually an old idea, one used by native tribes to keep the seeds away from the ever hungry birds. One recipe is to take one part wildflower seeds, three parts organic compost (fertilizer for when the seeds start to grow), five parts native clay soil (helps hold it all together) and one to two parts water. You mix it all together and mold marble-sized seed balls in your hands. Have everyone wear old clothes, as it’s fun but messy. You may have to adjust the ingredients in order to get the right consistency, which is like cookie dough. The balls need to be dry enough to prevent premature germination but moist enough to stay together. Let the seed balls dry completely and then store in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to throw them out in the fields, usually in the fall, before it rains.

We’re talking summertime in Texas, so you have to use common sense. Take the kids outdoors in the cooler parts of the day, such as morning or evening and always make sure they stay hydrated and wear hats, sun screen and other sun blocking gear. 

Getting kids outdoors can nurture a lifelong interest in nature. We may never be able to go back to ‘the good old days,’ when kids ran out of the house every morning in the summer and didn’t come back until dark but we can help our children appreciate, respect and learn about nature. After all, it’s their planet, too!

Have questions? Call (512) 398-6011 or email [email protected].

Ideas for outdoor activities

www.greatstems.com

Under the “Wildlife Habitats” column to the right, click on “Wildlife Projects for Kids” and get directions for milk jug feeders, nature journals and more. 

www.kidsgardening.org

Has many activities for kids to do in the garden

www.nwf.org

This wildlife group has a list of outdoor wildlife projects for kids

www.parents.com/familyfun-magazine

Outdoor activities and projects for children

www.wildflower.org

Go to the “Education” banner at the top and click on it to find “Youth Activities”