Most days I try to make sure Tyler has at least 30 minutes to play outside. Like most five-year-old boys he desperately needs this time so that he can run and jump, ride his bike or just explore the backyard. I have noticed that when he’s not able to go outside and play he’s much more hyper. Just last week it rained almost every day and he was literally bouncing off the walls. Apparently I am on the right track, according to a report published in the September 2004, issue of The Journal of Public Health. Although the research was conducted on kids diagnosed with ADHD, I believe it has implications for all young kids.
According to the research conducted by Dr. Frances Kuo and Dr. Andrea Taylor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, green (outdoor) settings appear to reduce ADHD symptoms in children. This natural treatment is a great alternative for parents who perfer not to medicate their ADHD kids.
A nationwide sampling of 452 parents rated the aftereffects of 49 common after-school and weekend activities on their children’s symptoms. The activities included green settings and indoor activities. The results showed that the green outdoor activities reduced the symptoms significantly. This was true across all age groups and gender and was also true whether the child played alone, with a single companion or within a group setting.
The researchers concluded that it was the setting and not the activity that produces this calming effect. Similar research concluded that when kids take a nature walk, as opposed to a walk in an urban setting, they were much more attentive when they returned.
When I was young we spent a great deal of time outside, especially on the weekends and during the summer months. And we didn’t have all the neat toys and gadgets kids have to play with today either. Unfortunately, today many kids spend countless hours inside. So parents remember, whether you have a kid with ADHD or just a normal active kid, green is good.
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