Being in touch with nature is essential for the development, health and well-being of children.
Many studies indicate that playing in nature improves attention, concentration, motivation, it
develops imagination and creativity while affecting well-being and reducing stress. In nature,
children are more physically active, which affects health and improve motor skills. In the past,
outdoor play was the primary activity of children, but today it is replaced by sedentary indoor
activities, such as watching television, playing computer and video games, etc. Children and
adolescents spend much of their time in educational institutions, which may be the last chance to
reconnect children with nature. This can be achieved with more outdoor lessons that, in addition
to providing students with real and positive experiences with nature, also provide quality learning.
The purpose of the Master's thesis was to find out how much experience with nature 12-year-olds
have in comparison to the experience of their parents and grandparents during their childhood. The
survey was conducted using a questionnaire that contained a list of 50 activities that can be done
in nature. It was based on a list »50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾«, which was created by
a charity organization »National Trust«. Their main aim was to enable children first-hand
experience with nature. The results showed that students have the least experience with activities
in nature, while their parents have the most. The biggest changes with activities in nature between
generations are “creating something from ferns, leaves or twigs, “make and test a grinder”, “make
a flute”, “plant a seed and what it grows, eat”, “harvest and eat blueberries, blackberries or
strawberries”, “pick and eat an apple”, “hunt for fireflies” and “scribble on grass”. The children
had less experience with the activities in nature than the other two generations. However, they had
more experience with activities in nature such as “swimming in a river, lake or sea”, “swimming
underwater”, “climbing a high hill”, “approaching a waterfall and feel the drops”, and “find a way
with a compass and a map”. We also found that children experienced as many as 81.7% of all
activities out of school and only 18.3% at school, and that early experience with activities in nature
of parents influences the experience of activities in the nature of their children.
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