Guest blog post from Canadian Living’s online health editor, Daniela Payne
Almost all of my fondest childhood memories take place outdoors. I remember walks in High Park with my family, canoe trips on Ontario’s breathtaking Lake Temagami, or backyard play for endless hours with my sister.
I have current fond ones too – like when I was biking through the Humber River trail with my dad just the other year and almost fell over my handlebars at the sight of two deer grazing along the river. Can you believe it? Nature is present anywhere you go – even in a big city. I carry this image of beauty with me everywhere I go.
I’m thankful my parents encouraged me to play out of the house, as it’s given me a value for nature and outdoor activity I wouldn’t trade for a million bucks. I can confidently identify poison ivy, paddle a canoe, cook up a mean s’more and maintain a hefty vegetable garden. Can you? I also understand the importance of nature and the environment, making most decisions only after I assess the impact it will have on Mother Nature.
Why I heart nature
Nature is so powerful that it can give anyone a sense of wonder, but we you won’t experience this inside. I read on Let’s Go Outside Revolution’s website that many children spend 90 per cent of their time indoors. It’s no wonder the childhood obesity epidemic is on the rise.
One way to ensure your child doesn’t suffer from this frightening condition is to get them to spend time outside. A local park, your backyard or a community garden can provide endless amounts of entertainment and education for both you and your kids.
We were so excited to hear about the Let’s Go Outside Revolution. It’s a great program to encourage folks to get back to nature and reap its many benefits and learn how to value it in return. We especially like it because it echoes exactly what we’re working on with Canadian Living’s Let’s G.O. Canada program.
What’s Let’s G.O. Canada?
The goal is to build a national movement in Canada to reconnect people with nature and battle nature deficit disorder. We hope to inspire you to spend more time outside and share photos and stories of your favourite outdoor places and activities.
In order to help you get outside we’ve compiled a bunch of articles with exciting ideas on how you and your family can enjoy the great outdoors. We’re also running a fabulous contest where you can share photos or videos of you or your family enjoying the nature Canada has to offer – its parks, lakes, trails, gardens, yards, or whatever! One lucky winner will win a fabulous camping getaway prize pack.
What’s your favourite thing about the outdoors? Show us at http://letsgetoutside.canadianliving.com/
