Anecdotes, stories about passing nature onto kids?

Question

I'm a writer working on a project on how kids are introduced or "turned on" to nature nowadays. I'm particularly interested because of a few factors. Richard Louv's recent book "Last Child in the Woods" expresses his concern that kids today are growing up without exposure to nature, and makes a good argument for doing so. Current environmental issues today need multigenerational solutions, so this will only become more troublesome as the next few generations mature. And most of all, I have a son now, and it's darn fun to get him involved in nature. It got me thinking: books like Louv's do a great job arguing for getting kids back into the natural world, but they don't much talk about how it's done. I want to talk to people who are really, totally, uniquely passionate about doing this in diverse locations, with exciting or inspirational stories of how you (or someone else) pass the world and passion for it onto kids. Think Steve/Bindi Irwin, etc. Anyone out there willing to correspond?

Answer 1

I am a Boy Scout leader now, but 10 years or so ago, I had a Cub Scout (2-3 grade) den that met every Monday at my house. One crazy week in very early spring (probably mid February ) I had no real plans for the meeting and there those quick, bright, busy little boys were there waiting for me. So  we did a "Signs of Spring" walk around the neighborhood.  I pointed out spings of grass, bulging tips of branches, new tiny green leaves on bushes-just anything that I could to show them this great world.  I showed them the first tree that would burst into bloom when it was spring (a flowering peach.) It was a great success and all those boys asked me later when we could have another walk like that!

Answer 2

As a child watching the ads featuring the American Indian Chief, standing by the side of the road while passing cars threw their garbage onto the roadside right at his feet, the tears streaming down his cheek, the message was and still is the destruction of this world is collectively our responsibility.I felt such compassion for this man I made a subconscious decision to be part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

I believe if you can show children the way in which Native Americans have given honor and respect to the earth so very long ago they were the first to model this behavior in their everyday life this is not a new concept.

They were I believe the first to re-use, recycle. There was a purpose for everything. If you can show the children examples of thei daily life.They can begin to see there is a benefit in living a life of contribution.

Sea life is also a fantastic way in which children can become involved. Experiments with children in which you are able to show how pollution ends up in the ocean from a storm drain miles away from the the coast. I hope this is helpful!