Phoebe Lindsay
Just beyond a century ago, nature, the woods, “the wild” could be a genuinely adventurous place for young children. Fairy tales were written to warn children of the risks of wandering too far from their home or their path. Children had to often traverse woods or natural areas to get from place to place: there were wild animals, cliffs and caves, rivers to cross that may be swollen from a recent rain, certainly a creepy recluse that was to be avoided, and the ever-looming weather and not least, the impending darkness. All of these elements sharpened decision-making and physical capacity for the growing child who wanted to return home safe, sound, dry, and not too hungry.
Modern life and parenting have eliminated most of these risks for children and the pendulum has swung where, in striving communities, children are scheduled and groomed to become the best version of themselves through structured instruction, coaching, and extra-curricular pursuit. Children have few moments to make their own decisions and determine potential outcomes. Child-led play in nature used to be a norm, not a structured offering, but we have evolved to a point where we must make a conscious decision to offer children the ability to play in nature…