When the predictions of “plowable snow” for this past Sunday night began rolling in, I wondered about the possibility of our first snow day. Then I quickly remembered that Monday was a holiday, so we would already be away from school. While we didn’t get to enjoy the opportunities (or confront the challenges) that an unexpected day off can bring, the possibility of nature changing or stopping our well-worn routines had me thinking about the joy of being outside, regardless of the weather.
For six years, I’ve had the privilege (and responsibility) of walking my dog Ollie twice a day, every day, through sun, rain, snow, heat, and extreme cold. Guided by my personal mantra that there is “no bad weather, just bad gear,” I’ve learned that being outside brings a different sense of calm, reflection, energy, and groundedness that I rarely find inside my office, car, or home.
At Belmont Day, we intentionally get students outside multiple times daily for recess, physical education classes, athletics, and other curriculum-based explorations. While we know that all students need to move their bodies and get some “wiggles” out, there are many additional benefits to being outside and finding time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and Vitamin N, writes, “… a growing body of research links our mental, physical, and spiritual health directly to our association with nature—in positive ways. Several of these studies suggest that thoughtful exposure of youngsters to nature can be a powerful therapy for attention-deficit disorders and other maladies. As one scientist puts it, we can now assume that just as children need good nutrition and adequate sleep, they may very well need contact with nature.”
Just as Alex Tzelnic asked us to find moments for silence in the latest edition of The Toolkit, I encourage all of you to find moments to be out in nature. To experience the sounds, sights, smells, and beautiful surprises that greet us when we’re outside. To walk across a frozen field, through a snowy park, or down the street to see a friend. Louv encourages us to consider “ … how the young respond to nature, and how they raise their own children, will shape the configurations and conditions of our cities, homes—our daily lives.”
One of our roles as caregivers, teachers, parents, and community members is to foster a sense of wonder and curiosity in the natural world. Here at BDS, we see that happen from our youngest students as pre-kindergarteners go on their woodland walks in the adjacent conservation land, our third graders exploring a snowy day on snowshoes, having classes in the outdoor classroom, working in and exploring the school garden, and playing on Archery, Claflin, and Far fields during recess and athletics. Being outside is an integral part of the joy we experience every day at Belmont Day. I hope you also enjoy making the time for outside joy—your body and mind will thank you for it.
