Be Home When the Lights Come On! Preventing Nature Deficit Disorder, Increasing Children's Roaming Map

Do you remember playing outside after dinner?  Neighbourhood children of all ages would flock to the end of the street for the game of the day – Hide n Seek, Red Rover, Kick the Can.  The actual game didn’t really matter.  Kids were just thrilled to be outside - no homework, no chores and no worries.  Our street hero was the kid who figured out that one hard hit to a specific spot on the light pole knocked out the light.  This enabled us to be a few minutes late home, innocently claiming that the light didn’t come on.  How could we possibly know that it was time to return?

Not long ago being a kid meant having a license to roam.  Children had the chance to venture out on their own and explore and discover their neighbourhoods.  My goodness, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer were allowed to float down the Mississippi River on a raft!  By themselves!!!! Now that I think about it, Huck and Tom did get in to a fair bit of trouble on their own, didn’t they?

Slip n Slide your worries away!

Recent studies have shown that over the last four generations the distance children are allowed to roam has dramatically decreased.  Terms like "Nature-Deficit Disorder" have been used to describe the emerging challenges of not exposing children enough to the natural world and letting them roam and play. This “roaming map” highlights the area Great Grandpa played in comparison to the area his great grandson currently roams in.  Unquestionably times have changed. Today’s family is busy juggling work, school and extracurricular schedules.  As a result could our children be losing access to nature and the outdoors?

Decreased roaming area over 4 generations

It is interesting and encouraging to see that although kids aren’t “roaming” as they did in the past, the popularity of camping is growing dramatically.  Did you realize there were over 2 million visits to BC Campgrounds in 2012?

When you have a moment, pull up your lawn chair and watch the action in a campground.  Do you notice the children are roaming, discovering, forging new friendships and exploring?  Of course, parents and grandparents are supervising and have a keen eye and ear on the little ones, but it appears that the roaming distance for the kids is greater than what they would experience back at home. 

Springs RV Resort youngest community members give a cheer!

Springs RV Resort is a place where families relax, unwind and toss away their schedules.  Could our campgrounds and RV Resorts be the “safe haven”?  A place where kids of all ages can play a game and be home when the lights come on?  

#campingwithkids #letsgocamping #springsrvresort #explorebc #harrisonhotsprings