Children need an hour of nature time each day, says Wildlife Trusts

CC BY-SA 2.0 iberianexplorer The UK organization wants schools to incorporate that time into their daily curriculum. Children should spend at least one hour playing and spending time in nature each day, according to the Wildlife Trusts . The UK-based conservation organization represents 46 local groups and 2,300 nature reserves, and it is now calling on the British government to incorporate nature time into the daily school curriculum. The request is based on a study , which was published earlier this month for the Wildlife Trusts by University College London. Its 451 participants were 8 or 9 years of age, and they were interviewed before and after participating in nature-based activities run by the Wildlife Trusts over the course of several weeks, such as identifying plants and trees and learning about wildlife habitats. The children demonstrated a remarkable increase in personal wellbeing and health and a sense of connection with the natural world and demonstrated high levels of enjoyment. Ninety percent said they learned something new about the natural world; 79 percent felt the experience would help their schoolwork; 81 percent said they had better relationships with their teachers. Perhaps most importantly, 79 percent cited greater self-confidence and 84 […]

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