By Hannah Nicholson

Recently, outdoor childhood programs across Colorado have found themselves under increasing scrutiny. Programs where children spend their days hiking trails, learning the phases of the moon, identifying plants and animals, building resilience in changing weather, and developing a relationship with the natural world are being treated as though they represent a threat.

Many parents see something very different.

A generation ago, childhood was largely lived outdoors. Creeks became classrooms. Trees became playgrounds. Seasons became teachers. Children developed confidence not because every risk was removed, but because they learned how to navigate the world around them.

Today, many families are working to reclaim what has been lost.

Colorado is uniquely positioned to support outdoor childhood. Nature-based programs allow children to learn astronomy by watching the moon, ecology by standing beside a creek, and botany by touching the plants around them. They come home curious, confident, and alive.

Yet some of these programs have faced complaints simply because children were outdoors in winter.

Not because children were harmed.

Not because parents were uninformed.

Simply because they were outside.

The science tells a different story. Research published in Pediatrics found that time in nature is associated with improved physical health, mental health, cognitive development, and overall well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics similarly recognizes outdoor play as essential to healthy childhood development.

Children do not need less nature. They need more.

They need mud on their boots, snow on their sleeves, and dirt beneath their fingernails. They need opportunities to explore, build confidence, and learn that discomfort is often the pathway to growth.

Allow parents to parent.

Allow children to explore.

Allow mentors to mentor and stewards to steward.

Allow nature to do what it has always done—teach.

Sincerely,

A Mom Who Wants to Leave Childhood Wild