A lifelong love of the natural world, and a willingness to act on its behalf, is believed to originate in childhood, as youngsters explore the wild world around them through the simple activity of play. The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (PALTA) recently published a 40-page booklet that explores this important relationship and offers an array of actions targeted to restoring nature play to children’s lives.

According to PALTA, “Unstructured, frequent childhood play in informal outdoor settings powerfully boosts the cognitive, creative, physical, social and emotional development of children. It also engenders deep conservation values; more so than any other factor.”

“Nature Play: Nurturing Children and Strengthening Conservation through Connections to the Land,” begins in Part 1 by taking a look at some of the changes that have led children away from nature play—urbanization, parental fears, liability worries, over-scheduled childhoods and too much time spent with indoor electronic toys and devices.

Part 2, “Restoring Nature Play,” offers creative actions that can be taken. Practical activities for nature playscapes and structured programs for nature bonding through family nature clubs, community nature play collaborations and more are detailed. Guidelines and activities are even targeted to specific age groups. The guide seems an especially useful tool for those involved with home schooling.

Visit ConserveLand.org to view or download the free publication. Search on “nature play” at ConservationTools.org for additional resources.