At the Cincinnati Nature Center, employees continue to show parents it is OK to let kids play outside. WVXU Cincinnati reports many parents are fearful of letting their youngsters explore nature due to risk of injury or fears of kidnapping. Although these concerns should not be ignored, members of the Cincinnati Nature Center try to teach parents certain rules that will make it easier for them to allow their kids to engage in
outdoor play.
Bill Hopple, the Nature Center's executive director, said one way the center helps parents relax is by offering a park where kids 11 and under can dig, climb and roam around outside in a safe and controlled environment. Kristi Masterson, an employee of the Nature Center who works with the younger children, said she tries to encourage parents to let their kids explore, as it is how they learn and gain confidence.
"I always say no instruction is necessary," Masterson told the news source. "They're going to get stung by bees. They're going to get poison ivy perhaps. But they are going to engage in nature and learn the consequences of their actions that way."
Healthy kids who engage in
natural play are also found to be less anxious and stressed, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Parents can continue to allow their youngsters to play outside safely by letting them use
playground equipment on school grounds, visiting nature parks or walking on trails as a family.