By Nicole Pokorney Increased screen time and the lack of outside play and exercise can have detrimental effects on the health of children and youth. We also know that having a connection with nature has proven to have positive benefits for mental, physical, and social needs of children. Spending time in nature allows us to restore our bodies, minds, and spirits, and also has clinical health advantages. However, is there a magic dosage of nature we all need to experience these benefits and if so, what is it? Tanya Denckla Cobb, from the University of Virginia, developed the idea of the Nature Pyramid, where we experience various amounts of spending time in nature and to different degrees. In 2012, Tim Beatley, Founder and Executive Director of the Biophilic Cities Project , turned the concept into a graphic depiction and gave further explanation in his article, Exploring the Nature Pyramid . The pyramid has been replicated through the years by various organizations and with a variety o...
Our youth development educators bridge research and practice. In this blog, they offer their views on what's happening in the field of youth development, with an eye to evidence-based research written by themselves and others in our field. We welcome your comments.