June Storyteller: A Walk in the Woods: Examining Nature Deficiency
- Merry Sorrells
- Jun 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 1
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Dear Community of Friends,
Many of you are aware that I have long been a fan of author Richard Louv. In his book, “Last Child in the Woods,” he discusses saving our children from “Nature Deficit Disorder.” With screen time and technology usage at an all-time high, I have to agree with him that the youth in our society are in danger of losing touch with nature. His premise is that the young people who will someday be tasked with saving the Earth have little familiarity with it.
I well remember walking along the Des Plaines River on my trek to high school, and sitting along its bank on my way home, contemplating the events of the day. My sisters, our friends, and I had our secret place farther down on that same bank where we would sit in the branches of a tree and watch the river flow as nature unfolded in front of us. My sister tamed a tailless squirrel who lived in the trees in our backyard. All the neighborhood brought injured wildlife to our mother, who miraculously nurtured and healed birds and other fated creatures and returned them to their natural habitats. It was a wonderful way to learn to love the world around us.
My father-in-law is a born naturalist. He would spend hours out on his wooded property, standing silently, holding his binoculars, surrounded by the peaceful silence of nature. Our children grew up learning to sit quietly, and absolutely still, along a path in the woods waiting for a flock of wild turkeys to pass by. Some evenings, we sat quietly on the deck down by the river, waiting for a family of beavers to make their nightly swim along the bank of the Bogue Chitto. Our four children took turns riding a log from a fallen tree next to the ravine, pretending they were on horseback. They learned to identify birds by the “giss,” the general impression by size and shape. Once, when they spotted a water moccasin, my father-in-law found a stick with a two-pronged end, trapped the snake, and held it up for us all to see, and learn to identify.
Our children were all digital natives, (author Mark Prensky’s words) while my husband and I were digital immigrants. They each had a comfortable facility with technology and gaming, and at the same time, they had a unique fluency with nature. They enjoyed a balance that seems fleeting today. I don’t believe that technology has to be seen as harmful to today’s children, but it does need to be balanced and used moderately. At the same time, I don’t believe every child needs to be a Robinson Caruso, for they will not likely need the survival skills of a shipwrecked youngster. They need balance, they need to learn and appreciate moderation in all things. Spending time in the great outdoors is a wonderful way for families to connect with nature and to teach our children a level of comfort and familiarity with the world around them. I believe we already do a lot of this, and we can be even more intentional about it.
Imagine a school where three and four-year-olds take regular hikes in the woods on a 360-acre campus using a turtle tracking device to locate their favorite turtle, Dino. Dino is one of many turtles on campus that our students are familiar with.
I am proud to say that my school intentionally inspires in each of our students a love for the world around them. Our students have an entire section of the curriculum, across grade levels, devoted to outdoor education, and it continually becomes stronger and stronger. We start with the little ones. Our woods are just a short walk away from the Early Childhood building and Lower School. Our Outdoor Education faculty have turned those woods into an enormous outdoor classroom.
I joined our Preschool 3 class for the annual Lantern Walk, a beloved tradition at the school. As showcased in our Reggio Emilio inspired integrated studies model, there were several skills developed along the way.
We started in the classroom where the students gathered and listened to a story about nature’s pets (reading and listening)
There were lots of questions about the story (curiosity, inquiry)
They donned their jackets and sweaters, and each student picked up the animal feeders they made in class to hang in the trees (science and art)
The parents were waiting outside to join their kiddos and then we all headed toward the woods (LOVE)
Moms and dads walked over crunching leaves, hand-in-hand with their little ones, searching for the perfect spot to hang their feeders (exercise)
Our destination was an outdoor classroom (place-based learning) where each little one hopped over a small creek (agility)
A bonfire was waiting to warm us and later for roasting marshmallows for our s’mores (cooking, safety)
Before roasting our tasty treats, the children were invited by their teachers to stand up on a stump and sing a song for us (music)
One by one, each child sang a favorite song for all to hear (fearless expression)
It was a glorious, fun-filled adventure that will last for a lifetime in their memories and mine as well (integrated learning taught by expert teacher coaches)
With the help of the School’s Outdoor Learning Coordinator, our Upper School students learned to tap a sugar maple tree. Over the course of a few weeks, they collected 20 gallons of sap which, once boiled, they turned into two quarts of delicious, pure maple syrup— just the right amount for these two classes to celebrate with pancake parties.
I love that my school intentionally explores and addresses the increasing divide that is happening between children and the natural world. Our students plant, harvest, hike, canoe, ride bikes, explore, birdwatch, turtle track, ride ponies, sing, cook, stargaze, draw, and sketch- all in the great outdoors and all available on our campus. They will go out into the future with a deep love for and understanding of the world around them.
Here's wishing you all a peaceful walk in the woods soon.
Thank you for being a part of my story.
Until next time,
Merry
LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder Updated and Expanded RICHARD LOUV Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants By Marc Prensky
From On the Horizon (MCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5, October 2001)
© 2001 Marc Prensky
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