Is Your Child Getting Enough Vitamin G?

There’s a lesser known “vitamin” out there that’s known to help prevent childhood obesity, treat and prevent ADHD, and give a brain boost. It’s free and, lucky for us, it’s abundant here in Placer County.

“Vitamin G”.

Have you heard of it? Vitamin “G” (G for “green”) is the ingredient found in nature. Doses are taken in when children run around outside, breathe fresh air, use muscles to jump and climb, and use their imaginations for outdoor play. It’s an essential part of your child’s health and well-being. But with the recent boom of electronic entertainment, too many kids these days are suffering from Nature Deficit Disorder.

Linda  Desai, Education Director at the Placer Nature Center in Auburn, reminds us that “rebuilding the bond between our children and nature is in everyone’s self-interest–not only to increase environmental awareness and a sense of connection with the world around us–but because our mental, physical and spiritual health depends on it.”

What does research say about the importance of nature for children’s health and development? There’s an abundance of information that is provided by the Children's Nature Institute (CNI) and the Children & Nature Network (C&NN). A few of the most important findings include:

1. Children that spend more time outside tend to be more active and less overweight.
2. Preschoolers and kindergarteners who have regular play in natural settings have better motor fitness, especially balance and coordination, than those who play on conventional playgrounds.
3. Teachers observe school children engaging in more cooperative behavior and problem solving while playing in a natural play space at school than on more traditional play equipment.
4. Kids with ADHD performed better on tests after taking a short walk in a natural park setting closing the gap with their non-ADHD peers.
5. Shared nature experiences promote family bonding.  Consider that today's homes are filled with distractions which force our attention away from the child and into constant multitasking. 
6. Nature Play stretches the imagination and promotes creativity. It builds physical, cognitive and social skills while providing a sensory experience that's soothing.  

The Placer Nature Center offers a free monthly program geared toward children ages five and under called Our Day Outside. Join them next Saturday, April 5th from 9:30am to 11:30am for Sandbox Scientist.

It’s easy to get outside and play right here in Roseville too.  The City of Roseville has sixty-eight developed parks and facilities.  The city also has miles of off-road trails to explore.