How Can Our Kids Really Understand The

The Dugout In The Weeds Or Leaves Beneath A Backyard Willow, The Rivulet Of A Seasonal Creek, Even The Ditch Between The Front Yard And The Road-all Of These Places Are Entire Universes To A Young Child.

Some Kids Don't Want To Be Organized All The Time. They Want To Let Their Imaginations Run; They Want To See Where A Stream Of Water Takes Them.

We Are Telling Our Kids That Nature Is In The Past And It Probably Doesn't Count Anymore, The Future Is In Electronics, The Boogeyman Is In The Woods, And Playing Outdoors Is Probably Illicit And Possibly Illegal.

Leave Part Of The Yard Rough. Don't Manicure Everything. Small Children In Particular Love To Turn Over Rocks And Find Bugs, And Give Them Some Space To Do That. Take Your Child Fishing. Take Your Child On Hikes.

The Future Will Belong To The Nature-smart-those Individuals, Families, Businesses, And Political Leaders Who Develop A Deeper Understanding Of The Transformative Power Of The Natural World And Who Balance The Virtual With The Real. The More High-tech We Become, The More Nature We Need.