Nature's Playgrounds

Time spent in nature keeps the mind and body healthy. Natural playgrounds and play spaces are ideal gathering places for children and adults to relax, explore, wander, play, and discover.

Some natural playgrounds are designed by people, such as those intended for preschools, nature programs, and patrons of nature parks. And some natural “playgrounds” are simply made up of rocks, trees, stumps, and other elements that are already present as part of the landscape. Regardless, if you are looking to elevate your mood and breathe in some fresh air, bring the whole family outside.

Here are some of the wonderful benefits:

Nature provides a safe and accessible space for children of all ages, backgrounds, fitness levels, developmental stages, abilities, genders, and cultures to play together. Because nature is accessible to everyone, friends of all types can come together to practice sharing, negotiation, problem-solving, collaboration, empathy, and leadership skills. Everyone can feel a sense of belonging, whether participating in inclusive or parallel play. There is no “right way” to play in nature; it is a safe and inclusive place for all.

Interacting with nature increases the diversity of the body’s microbiome. Our microbiome consists of bacteria, viruses, and fungi—all microbes—that live in and on our bodies. These microbes support our health, so much that negative disturbances to the microbiome can lead to autoimmune disorders, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. When parents allow their young children to physically interact with nature (digging in sand and dirt, overturning rocks to check for worms, rolling in the grass), they are positively impacting the number and type of supportive bacteria in their children’s body systems.

Time spent in nature reduces stress and anxiety, thus improving mental health. When patients are experiencing sadness or depression, I suggest they go outside and look up at the sky. Time in nature seems to magically balance out negative feelings. A Stanford study has found quantifiable evidence that walking or hiking in nature reduces the risk of depression. The same study showed that folks who live in urban settings have a 20% higher risk of anxiety disorders and a 40% higher risk of mood disorders than those who live in rural areas with exposure to natural settings.

Connecting with nature promotes cognitive development, creativity, and physical fitness. The amount of outdoor playtime doubles for children who spend it in natural settings. With access to rocks, twigs, sticks, leaves, flowers, and other open-ended play materials, children can become wrapped up in imaginative play. Leaping across logs, climbing trees, and skipping rocks are fun ways to move and exercise. A child who struggles in physical education class may find more joy in moving their body in a less structured, more natural setting.

Children are exposed to an array of textures, colors, smells, sights, sounds, and experiences. Since natural playgrounds use the local topography and other natural materials from around the area like logs, tree stumps, and water sources, children can explore and interact with their local environment in a sensory-rich way. This type of exploration also encourages cognitive development, imaginative play, and fine motor skills.

Nature play encourages social connection and interaction. Because nature is accessible to everyone, children who play in nature will get to know all kinds of playmates. Natural play spaces allow babies to crawl around with teetering toddlers, surrounded by older children climbing rocks and building fairy houses. It is common to see a ten-year-old and a four-year-old digging around with sticks in the same mud puddle.

Physically connecting to nature keeps us grounded. When our skin is in direct contact with Earth’s surface, most likely with dirt, grass, or sand, our bodies can absorb free ions that act as antioxidants. Children who grow up playing barefoot in nature will reap all the grounding health benefits of physically touching the Earth. For more details, check out this article on grounding, The Grounding Connection.

Natural settings are spiritually, emotionally, and physically healing. It is not uncommon for naturopathic physicians to “prescribe” time in nature as a way to restore balance and wellness in the lives of our patients.