Risk prevention vs.

joy prevention: The benefits and

perceived risks of nature contact

Global Summit on Childhood Vancouver, BC April 11th, 2014

Risk prevention vs. joy prevention: The benefits and perceived risks of

nature contact

Dr. Trevor Hancock Professor and Senior

Scholar School of Public Health and Social

Policy University of Victoria Director, Child and

Nature Alliance of Canada

Dr. Mariana Brussoni

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics,

University of British Columbia

Academic Scientist, BC Injury Research &

Prevention Unit Director, BC Children's Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Program

(CHIRPP)

Adam Bienenstock

Founder and Principal Designer

Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds

Director, Child and Nature Alliance of

Canada

Agenda

1. Trevor Hancock (15 min) Introduction

2. Mariana Brussoni (20 min) The importance of risk

3. Adam Bienenstock (20 min) On the ground experience 4. Discussion in small groups (20 min) 5. Report back (10 min) 6. Final questions and wrap up

• Formally established in 2009 • Inspired by Richard Louv’s

book, Last Child in the Woods • Seeks to provide a Canadian

context to the worldwide movement to enhance children’s health and well-being by reconnecting them to the outdoors.

The Child and Nature Alliance of Canada

is that all children and families in Canada are connected with nature and the outdoors in order to enhance their health and well-being.

aims to connect Canada’s children and families with nature and the outdoors in the settings where they live, play, learn and work.

1. Biophilia 2. Dependence on ecosystems 3. The health benefits of nature 4. Modern and largely urban life

leads to ‘Nature deficit disorder’

“the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” E.O. Wilson • We may have an innate need for nature • We evolved in natural environments

• We seem to have an innate preference for the savannah

“Ecosystems are the planet‘s life-support systems - for the human species and all other forms of life. Human biology has a fundamental need for food, water, clean air, shelter and relative climatic constancy.”

Ecosystems and Human Well-being Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,

WHO, 2005

“Human activity is putting such a strain on the natural functions of Earth that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted. . . . Nearly two thirds of the services provided by nature to humankind are found to be in decline worldwide.”

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005

. . . why would they understand, cherish, respect and protect nature?

3. The health benefits of ‘green’ nature

Social breakdown • Less strength of community, courtesy, mutual

support, supervision of children outdoors • More loneliness, graffiti, noise, litter, loitering,

illegal activity, property crime, aggression, violence, violent crime

Psychological breakdown • Less attention, learning, management of major

life issues, impulse control, delay of gratification • Greener schools related to better scores,

greening schools leads to improved scores • More ADHD symptoms, clinical depression,

anxiety attacks

Physical breakdown • Poorer recovery from surgery, self-reported

physical health, immune functioning • More obesity in children, physician-diagnosed

diseases, mortality

Strength of evidence • Based on hundreds of studies involving millions

of people • Multiple methodologies, multiple outcomes • Many diverse populations

Based on Ming Kuo’s presentation Healthy by Nature, 22 Sept 2011

1. Viewing nature • As through a window, or in a painting 2. Being in (the presence of nearby)nature • May be incidental to some other

activity 3. Active participation and involvement with nature

Countryside Recreation Network (UK)

. . . has been linked to • Improved recovery in hospital • Reduced stress in prison • Improved student test scores • Reduced job stress, improved job

satisfaction • Improved mood, reduced anger

• ‘Relaxed wakefulness’, ‘effortless attention’

Healthy Parks, Healthy People, 2002

. . . has been linked to • A calming affect - relaxed and peaceful,

positive mood • Reduced mental fatigue and exhaustion • “the natural environment has been found

to have a restorative quality, particularly for people who live in urban environments. Natural places such as parks offer an opportunity to become revitalized and refreshed.”

• Increased physical activity Healthy Parks, Healthy People, 2002

If this was a drug, we would call it a miracle drug!

From the 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv

We are 80% urbanized We spend 90% of our time indoors ◦And 5% in vehicles So we are only outdoors 5% of the time (= 1 hour/day) ◦And 80% of that is in urban settings Kids don’t go out and play

Roaming distance has shrunk Even as our connectivity to and travel in the wide world has

grown!

Who knew more about

their community?

There is little Canadian data A 2011 US study of self-reported time in 6 – 19 year

olds found: ◦most children (63%) generally spend at least 2 hours

Their reported outdoor time was spent ◦hours of time outdoors per day ◦playing or just hanging out (84%) ◦biking, jogging or running (80%) and ◦use of electronic media outdoors (65%) Source: Active Healthy Kids Canada 2012 Report Card

Kids need to be outdoors and engaged with nature

Outdoor play, to be fun, to be joyful, needs to have an element of risk and danger ◦Kids need to learn to assess and manage risk

In our fearful, risk-averse societies, we remove risk (and fun and joy)

How do we change this, overcome fear and encourage joy?

Mariana Brussoni

Malone (2006)

Intensive Parenting

“backseat generation”

Keeping kids safe means letting them take risks

Imaginative and rambunctious free play is most essential type

(Wenner, 2009)

Longitudinal study n=68 disadvantaged US children (Weikart, 1998)

• Randomly assigned at

ages 3-4 • Direct instruction:

academic skills • High/Scope

Curriculum: independent planning, conceptual development, problem solving

• Traditional: social development, free play

…thrilling & exciting forms of play involving risk of physical injury

(Sandseter, 2011)

T. Gill, 2007 J.

D. V

augh

n

Height

Dangerous Elements

Dangerous Tools

M. B

arkaway Getting Lost

Speed

http://ww

w.flickr.com

/photos/tupwanders/105680747/

Risky play helps reduce fear through natural gradual exposure (Sandseter, 2011)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13755746@N08/5494957091/

4/20/2012 36

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1383272

Physical health benefits of risky play

• If children aren’t challenged and interested in activities

– Disengage • Obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc

• Mental health suffers

– Seek risk in less safe places

• 37% decline in participation in outdoor activities for US children aged 6-12 years from 1997-2003

(Hofferth, 2009)

Child obesity - Canada

• 1978-79: 15% of children

• 2004: 26% of children

(Alberta Health Services, 2010) http://www.flickr.com/photos/miran/59455927/

• 7-11 years, n=93, England (Green, 1997)

• Children creating identity for themselves as mature and competent • Able to handle risk • Being provided with

opportunity for risk • Forceful about need to

assess risk for themselves http://www.flickr.com/photos/justomorales/2115386009/

CAPT 2002 • 11-14 years, n=1973, deprived area of England

• Overwhelmingly wanted local area to be made safer and have more interesting things to do • Most popular places to play : Wasteland, building sites, underpasses, rivers, abandoned buildings, quarries

• Away from adults, challenge, discovery, excitement

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mallix/4897302415/

T. Gill, 2007 J.

D. V

augh

n

Height

Dangerous Elements

Dangerous Tools

M.

Barkaw

ay Getting Lost

Speed

http://www.playengland.org.uk/resources/managing-risk-in-play-provision-implementation-guide.aspx

Think about activities you did as a child that you could not wait to get to

• Where were you? • Who was typically there with you? • Why was it so much fun? • Did you learn something important in that

activity?

© Mariana Brussoni 2014 46

Or perhaps this?

• Think about the activities that your children do that they can’t wait to get to.

• Are those activities similar to, or different from, the ones you did?

• Are our children today making the same play-related memories we did?

• Does it matter?

Adam Bienenstock

Children who play in natural settings have higher math and language scores

There is a direct and positive corellation between contact with nature and

imaginative play

More nature = greater problem solving abilities

Children between 8 and 18 average 52.5hrs per

week of screen time

Children will spend more time in the care of an ECE than they will in University Vandalism drops directly in proportion

to the number of trees in a neighbourhood

Crime rates and violent behavior are significantly lower amongst children and youth who have a meaningful, repeated interaction with nature

Dirt and bacteria are required for the development of a healthy immune

system

This is the first time in history that we, as parents will have longer lifespans than our

children

Teacher absenteeism drops when they work in a natural setting

40 to 60% of children at a traditional playstructure are completely sedentary

IUCN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD

Every Child has the right to daily contact with nature

Balance and Agility scores increase in the forest when compared to traditional playstructures

More nature = less bullying

Time spent in nature is as effective as Ritalin in most children previously diagnosed with ADHD

taste smell touch

sight sound

kinaesthetic sense

sense of

place

sense of wonder

What is your priority? What is your reality? • CAN/CSA Z614-07 Compliant • Lower Risks • Less Hospital Visits • Lower Insurance • Lower Vandalism • Lower Cost • Higher Property Values • Better GDP return • Lower Carbon Footprint • LEED Benefit • Ecological Restoration • Higher Play Value • Environmental Stewards of the Future • It’s the right thing to do… • Healthier, smarter children

After

• What has been your experience? • How have you and others dealt successfully with this? • And what has NOT worked?

Final Comments

and Questions

Child and Nature Alliance www.childnature.ca Trevor Hancock thancock@uvic.ca Mariana Brussoni mbrussoni@cw.bc.ca Adam Bienenstock adam@naturalplaygrounds.ca