h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here is an interesting article about children interacting with nature:

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/05/kid_play_zones_in_parks_leave_no_trace_inhibits_fun_and_bonding_with_nature.html

The idea that the 'don't touch or disturb anything' philosophy of teaching kids about nature is counterproductive. Kids should be allowed to mess about in the wilds, is the thrust of the piece. I generally agree!

I grew up here in South Africa in a situation where I was given free rein, most of the time. My parents let me go out into the 'veld even when I was very small, five or six or so years old. I did this with friends or on my own. I could do what I wanted and was unsupervised. In Pretoria, where I lived until I was eight years old, I didn't go out as much, but I did, and can remember walking in the tall grass and with friends exploring a riverbed, where we found porcupine quills and sticky mud; we threw that at each other using sticks (we call it 'kleilat gooi' in Afrikaans). I caught lizards, frogs, even spiders. I didn't want to hurt anything and I think most of the time I didn't do much harm. If I went back though I *would* be rather more careful!

When we moved to Polokwane, I was older and a bit more responsible. Still I was allowed to go out and do my thing. With friends I remember making a fort ... we actually dug a big hole in the ground and had boards on top for a roof. It was *very* dusty and not comfortable but still fun! I went out, and explored ... the wild lands stretched far and wide from our house back then, and I was sometimes out for the whole day. I climbed trees - when there were ones big enough to climb - and waded into ponds, caught more frogs, took some home to keep in a pond in the back yard where they stayed for many years. I started learning the names of birds and things very early, and by the time I was a teenager I could identify most birds and mammals I saw.

So: I really think my years left to 'go wild' in the wilderness did much to shape me into the person I am today in terms of my love of Nature and all living things. For me the fun was mostly just exploring. It was great to be allowed to go where I wished. Today it's no longer possible ... not only is my country a rather dangerous place right now, but also by now every piece of land is owned and fenced off and you can't just go there. But I think a lot has been lost ... I really think freedom of movement and to explore should be a basic human right and that it is vital for children.

I *do* think children should at the very least from an early age be taught to be responsible and kind to animals and plants, and not to damage anything. But I do think there should be room for things like building forts or tree houses, at least a lot of *tree climbing*, picking flowers, collecting leaves or other interesting natural trinkets. I do believe the 'hands on' method will be better to let children get a real sense of the life that is out there. I do think there's room for adult guidance, but also, human children for most of our evolution have been allowed to learn on their own in the wilderness and most of them have managed just fine.

I'll say more about this ...