In our Backyard

From Stef at the DEP:

Take Your Kids Outside, In Our Back Yard It’s that time of year when dandelions change from golden suns studding the lawn, to white puffballs. While these seed heads may be the bane of fussy lawn manicurists, they are wondrous—even magical—objects to small children. I have yet to see one of my kids walk past a fat, round dandelion puff without picking it and blowing away the seeds, as if the two—children and dandelions—had co-evolved a kind of symbiotic relationship: children spread the dandelion’s seeds; dandelions give the children a moment of pure joy. Now is the perfect time of year, with dandelions puffing, lilacs blooming and frogs and birds singing, to get in the habit of taking children outdoors every day. According to the National Wildlife Federation, time spent outdoors in nature improves children’s performance in school, ability to concentrate, balance, coordination and self-esteem, as well as stimulating a child’s imagination and reducing symptoms of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Perhaps more importantly, children who spend time in nature are more likely to love and care for nature into their adult years. The National Wildlife Federation recommends that children spend at least one hour a day in unstructured play and exploration in the natural world. Don’t worry if you don’t have Acadia National Park out your back door—children are often more interested in the up-close things, like bugs, dirt and yes, dandelions, than the grand vistas that adults are drawn to. Here are some ideas for activities to get you started: Find a Rainbow—look for one (or more) natural object in each color of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). This is easier in the spring with colorful flowers in bloom and bright song birds flitting in the trees, but take it on as a fun challenge in all seasons of the year—you’d be surprised what colors you can find in the winter. One Yard of Nature—use a length of string or a hula hoop to randomly make a circle on the ground. Get down on your hands and knees and see how many different kinds of plants and animals you can find in your hoop. Move it to another location—are there different plants or animals in different parts of the yard? Get Wet—don’t let “bad” weather keep you indoors. Put on rain coats, rubber boots and warm sweaters and socks and go out to splash in puddles, look for frogs or migrating salamanders, rescue worms. To make sure your Green Hour is fun and successful for you and your child, start small and close to home—your back yard or a nearby park, tailor your activities to your child’s age and abilities, be flexible and follow your child’s lead—if you plan on looking at birds, but your child is more interested in a mud puddle, go with the mud—and most of all, have fun. To learn more about how and why to spend time outdoors with your kids, check out www.greenhour.org and Maine’s program, www.take-it-outside.org. This column was submitted by Andrea Lani, an Environmental Specialist with the Maine DEP's Bureau of Air Quality. In Our Back Yard is a weekly column of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.