Green Time vs. Screen Time WHY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION During her first summer as an ACES Educator, Phebe Meyers,
MATTERS There’s plenty of research showing that nature is an enriching
who’s now ACES’ Community Programs Senior Manager, was leading
environment. A 2014 UCLA study found that after just five days of
a group of 7– and 8–year–olds around Hallam Lake when one of them
face–to–face interaction at a nature camp without any screen time,
pointed out a plant and asked what it was. Phebe didn’t know, but
preteens were more able to read human emotions, which is important
before she could search her field guide, another student piped up with
in developing social skills. British researchers found that people who
the correct answer.
spend time in natural places are more likely to be conscientious about
Years later, a group of 10– to 14–year–old girls came back from Women of the Wild, an all–girls, weeklong backpacking trip. While they
the environment, and adopt more green practices. Bestselling author Richard Louv compiled a body of research for his
all tackled challenges like developing their wilderness skills, they had
book, Last Child in the Woods, which makes the case that connecting
also formed a support system, with even slightly more experienced girls
kids with nature is essential for healthy physical and emotional
finding themselves in leadership roles, and inspiring and empowering
development. Louv coined the term “nature–deficit disorder,” which
each other.
links the lack of vitamin N (nature) to myriad childhood development
Most of us know intuitively that spending time in the outdoors is better for kids than staring at screens all day. There’s plenty of science
issues, including increasing obesity, depression, and attention disorders. Recent research also shows how screen time can negatively impact
to back that up. But what’s less intuitive – and less studied – is the
green time. A 2018 study found that as students spend more time on
power of human relationships in outdoor settings.
screens, their connection to nature decreases. That’s partially because
“If kids are engaging together with the natural world around them and sharing each other’s curiosities, that’s a unique experience that hopefully will inspire them,” says Phebe. “Our educators provide the
of the addictive nature of screens, which inhibits youth from connecting with nature, according to Canadian researchers. And as today’s kids spend more and more time on screens – a 2019
support and space for this learning to happen, but the kids interacting
report from Common Sense Media found that teens average around
with each other is just as important.”
seven and a half hours of screen time per day while tweens (ages
Neuroscience tells us that the human brain rapidly develops for the
8 to 12) consume a little under five hours – there are other negative
first several years of life, when billions of neural connections are made.
consequences. Teens with high screen use are over twice as likely to
Kids with early childhood education are much more likely to graduate
be diagnosed with depression and anxiety, while even moderate use of
high school and college, and enriching environments with engaging
screens is shown to lower children’s psychological well–being. It goes
relationships result in better emotional, cognitive, and executive
without saying that spending a lot of time on screens is also detrimental
function.
to physical health and social engagement.
ACES environmental education programs get kids outside for 28,000 hours annually. Not only does this provide a unique outdoor “classroom” for learning, but also has been linked to healthy physical and emotional development.
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