One afternoon, a friend was hosting a backyard barbeque for some neighborhood families. A child called out to the other kids: “Let’s go down to the creek.” The group of kids ran toward a small stream at the end of the yard. “No, stop!” cried one of the parents. “There might be something down there.” My friend, standing at the grill, was speechless. Finally, he said, “But that’s the point.

I meet teachers around the country who, whether they’re classroom or out-of-classroom educators, are determined to get their kids outside.

The group of kids ran toward a small stream at the end of the yard. “No, stop!” cried one of the parents. “There might be something down there.”

My friend, standing at the grill, was speechless. Finally, he said, “But that’s the point. There might be something down there.”

I tell that story often to illustrate the fear that parents feel these days, and because it suggests an opportunity for teachers, including out-of-school educators, especially those who wish to weave nature into their work. Yes, there are risks outdoors (though not nearly as many as the news media would have us believe). But the indoor lifestyle carries its own psychological, physical and spiritual risks. So does the classroom-bound approach to education. Out-of-classroom learning, after school or during school hours, can be summed up philosophically with that sentence: There might be something down there. Something wonderful.

Read the source article at Children & Nature Network

__________

Richard Louv is co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Children & Nature Network.