Comments on: Nature play makes children smarter, calmer, more creative, and less distracted.

By: Heidi Bresilge

Heidi Bresilge — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 14:34:37 +0000

Right on!

By: Carly Garner

Carly Garner — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 15:06:52 +0000

Yes! Love this, Morag. After mentoring young children to learn in, with and from nature in my bush kinder, it feels so liberating to bring my own children home from school this year, and bring them into the Natureweavers program as well. We also have our dedicated learning spaces set up outside, overlooking permaculture gardens and forest, and it does indeed make for a more fruitful – and beautiful – learning environment.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 05:27:45 +0000

Thank you for this post. I am also a mum of three (2 boys, 1 girl) and my eldest is kindy age. I have just made the difficult decision to postpone my career plans until after they finish school so I can be available to pull them out and school at home if needed. Even as a teacher, I feel the system is too restricting for children, especially young boys. Prep kids, for example, are now expected to sit at desks for most of the day! So I will be home for the next few years now. If they enjoy school, they will not come home to an empty house or a too-busy mother. If school fails them, they will come home to learn here. It does amaze me how difficult it was to decide this though. Mothers 50 years ago wouldn't have thought twice, but now it seems it must be a dual-income home or a life of poverty. Luckily we don't need much to live off since we started living more simply 🙂

By: Morag Gamble

Morag Gamble — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 03:42:09 +0000

Thanks for writing. It is difficult for young children to sit most of the day. I know it really was such a struggle for my son – he tried for a couple of year, but ended up switching off to be able to conform to that requirement. His natural state is one of constant activity and movement. I am so glad that I made the decision to support him in homeschooling and are in a position to do this – working from home, living simply. I also have struggled over the years with the notion of being 'just a mother' – as if that is not an amazing enough role! I have now come to the balance where the very part-time work I do has to fit around the children being my primary focus. My work evolves with the children and nourishes and engages them too. Best wishes in your schooling adventures in the coming years.

By: Morag Gamble

Morag Gamble — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 03:32:31 +0000

Meg, I totally agree – it is so important to cultivate this deep connection and the earlier the better I think. We all need to care enough to stand up for nature.

By: Meg Hopeful

Meg Hopeful — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 21:37:52 +0000

Oh, I love this post!!!!! I have read Richard Louv's book twice and it makes perfect sense to me. I think too that in our world today, in order to develop a very deep love of and respect for nature, children need to be immersed in it. They won't care for, fight for or protect that which they don't understand and love. Keep on writing!