Saturday, June 19, 2010

Education for children, protect nature


It is a disease of our age. In an age crammed with TV, computers, and electronic gadgets, children are isolated from the simple pleasures of exploring nature. As it is, academics, along with classes and extra-curricular activities, leave childrenwith little time to play outdoors. And even if they do, there are almost no green spaces left for them to enjoy. Even parks and playgrounds are often too manicured, and do not invite curious, open-ended exploration. Children today are thus robbed of a very essential part of childhood: of connecting on a one-to-one basis with nature.

Author Richard Louv, in his book, Last Child in the words: Saving Our Childrenfrom Nature-Deficit Disorder mentions that this sense of isolation is radically affecting our children. According to him, it is harming their physical and mental health and hampering their creativity. In fact, he has coined the phrase "Nature-Deficit Disorder" to describe this phenomenon.

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