Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

Richard Louv's new book Last Child in the Woods is a call to return to nature. Too many kids, he says, spend too much time in organized sports and in front of a TV or computer screen, and not enough time enjoying nature.

"Evidence is mounting in support of getting kids back outside. Pioneering teachers are now experimenting with outdoor classrooms, where children spend part of their school week interacting directly with the environment... Louv reported that these children perform better across the board, from math and science to standardized testing, than do the students stuck inside."

Louv goes on to say that the environment would also benefit greatly if kids spent more time outside. Kids are much more likely to become "environmental stewards and advocates" if they're consistently experiencing nature. Source: OregonLive.com.

This summer join your kids at summer camp! Wellspring offers a Family Camp that teaches parents and children how to control their weight by eating properly and exercising.

Labels: enviroment, outdoors, nature

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When we were kids, we played hopscotch, hide-and-seek and kick-the-can. Today, kids play Wii, X-Box and PlayStation; and they do it all inside.

“The average American child age 8 – 18 spends more than 7 hours daily in front of screens – television, video games and cell phones, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation study…The World Wildlife Federation suggests pitching a tent just steps from your door as part of the sixth annual Great American Backyard Campout June 26.” [Source: The Oregonian]

Getting kids away from their electronics and back outside doesn’t have to include a trip to a state park, or a long camping trip somewhere far away. A simple walk around the block can suffice.

Use the time to explore nature as it exists in your backyard and your neighborhood. Try to identify the trees, birds and insects that you see along the way. Help your kids begin to appreciate the real world as much as they do their “cyberworlds.”

 

Labels: exercise, nature

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment