September 2015 - Parks & Recreation - 46

FUTURE LEADERS

A Walk in the Park
Direct experience with nature can unlock a child's inherent
desire to explore and see connections in the world around them
By Tyler Tapps and Timothy J. Wall

C

hild development is a fascinating area of study. However, sometimes we
get so caught up in what is supposed to be occurring cognitively, physically and emotionally that we, as parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents,
etc., forget to just stand back and watch what is happening with our
children. Both of us are fathers of children who enjoy being outdoors, and this is a
firsthand account of what we witness as benefits to our kids from playing in parks.
Children inherently want to move
and explore the space around them.
There is no better avenue for this than
in our parks. Most every park offers
multiple forms of free-range learning.
Parks are attractive to children because
they provide an avenue for escape from
the structure of their daily lives. Any
teacher would say that learning should
start at any early age with hands-on experiences. In this case, learning should
occur with nature in the parks. There

44	 Parks & Recreation

is evidence that concern for the environment is based on affection for the
outdoors that only develops with ungoverned contact with nature. The way
children feel in the outdoors improves
recall of information, creative problem
solving and creativity.
In today's culture, children are torn
between the confining spaces of the
couch, TV, computer screen and the
cellphone. However, they often become motivated to learn when they

| S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

can make their own discoveries in the
outdoors. Our family visited parks in
Wisconsin and Florida over an eightmonth span, and our 3- and 5-yearold girls demonstrated a love of parks
and deep, memory-enhancing learning by experiencing nature firsthand.
Making Connections
At Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin, our girls explored the park, and,
upon completing an age-appropriate,
incredibly fun scavenger hunt to spot
spider webs, native plants and animals,
and a hiking trail, they earned their
very own Wisconsin Explorer's badges. Now, at least once a week, while
exploring local parks and forests in
Missouri, my children make connec-



September 2015 - Parks & Recreation

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