Spend any time online, and you're likely to see the phrase “touch grass.” People use this internet-ism to suggest someone needs to log off and go outside. That's true not just for time spent on social media but also in education.  

Most kids attend schools that provide limited, if any, time in nature. This is despite studies that show kids do better academically and have fewer behavioral issues when they spend time outside. 

If your student is having academic or disciplinary problems, the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. We understand that education is more than just books; it is a process that affects the entire student body. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form. 

A+ for Outside 

Researchers have long known the benefits of unstructured playtime for children, but more and more research highlights the benefits of time in nature. This follows the addition of mindfulness training to some school curriculums. While lessons in being present at the moment do have benefits, time in nature allows students to subconsciously tap into the same benefits of mindfulness without formal training. 

Research has found that time outdoors positively impacts students by helping them to: 

• Learn how to quiet the mind 
• Feel more centered 
• Know how to return to this mental state on their own 

Some schools plan trips to help students engage with nature, but research shows that even encountering nature in small, urban spaces can be beneficial. Outdoor time, even in small increments, improves students' ability to focus and teaches them how to regulate their thoughts and impulses. The result is improved psychological health, which helps students with academic challenges and navigating social situations. 

Reactive Discipline  

Unfortunately, schools often give minimal time to nature as part of the school day. Schools too often focus on discipline without considering how behavior develops or how proactive interactions, such as time in nature, can decrease academic and disciplinary problems.  

Time in nature is often viewed as an activity that's unnecessary to an education. As nature programs have repeatedly demonstrated, however, these activities teach crucial skills, such as problem-solving and planning. They also help students gain the mental tools needed to tackle intellectual and social problems.  

Attending a private school doesn't necessarily provide any advantage to spending time outdoors. While some private schools weave outdoor learning and activities into their curriculum, private schools are often not under the same requirements as public schools. Even if a state requires schools to offer mandatory recess and/or physical education, private schools may not fall under those policies. 

By minimizing the importance of time outdoors, schools set up students to fail. Despite numerous studies highlighting the academic and behavioral benefits of nature, most students still spend most of their days sitting at a desk with short breaks. Students, in the form of poor grades and disciplinary action, are the ones who suffer from this approach. 

Protect Your Student 

The good news is that more states are recognizing the benefit of recess and outdoor time, but even those mandates fall below recommended minimums. Students who attend schools that have no requirements for recess or time outdoors, through no fault of their own, are more likely to have more academic and disciplinary issues.  

Time in nature is good for kids' mental health. It also helps them do better in school. Kids shouldn't get in trouble because their school is failing to provide them with crucial tools for success. Call the Education Law Team at the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form.