Why is nature essential for kids?I am doing a personal research on the effect on green spaces on mood ,relationship and creativity since 2014.
I started gardening and blogging in October of 2014 and I haven’t stopped.What kept me going was this need for seeing things grow .
The good bacteria in nature in their own way helps you grow your immunity.Sunlight is essential for good health. But overall the effect of mother nature,soil and green trees ,flowers ,birds,butterflies in a backdrop of blue sky is like your recharge button.
Thats the reason I visit the village home on weekends .It gives me a much needed boost of wellbeing, that nothing else can.
You might wonder,why not visit a park?You might wonder,what about your balcony garden?Why not the green mango orchard , where we play every Sunday evening?
Well they are all important and play a role in my weekly dose of nature.But every week is not the same.Plus there’s something about the silence of birds,bees and untamed nature .The silver moon lights up the night sky ,the sparkling stars keep her company while my garden gets ready to go to sleep.
The tiny village house has four rooms. Two for our use and two for when my brother in law visits with his family.The common kitchen and small covered porch cum dining space is perfect for sitting and enjoying a cup of tea in the morning. Or sometimes we just sit outside in the garden.Since there are no high rises,there’s no one watching you .
There are only chirping of birds,bleating goats,moo-ing cows and the occasional raucous village dogs trying to get rid of outsider dogs!
The sweet smell of flowers,golden sunlight and the very blue blue sky dotted with the green canopy of Moringa,Mangoes,Ticoma,Coconut and Neem greet my eyes as I look upwards.
The open terrace gives an uninterrupted view of green almost forested areas, which are but forest gardens receiving a watchful neglect from their owners.Too much clearing up is avoided,to prevent poachers and illegal settlers from encroaching. Its a complex balance of clearing up as well as letting nature be.From my eleven years experience in taking kids for visits to garden,orchards,fields and nature holidays I share my insights into why nature is essential for kids.
Why is Nature Essential for Kids?
It helps develop intelligence
Empathy
Curiosity
Adaptation
Community
Appreciate beauty
Discover practical application of science
Realize science is not just a subject humans invented but its how God works .
Realize we are what we eat
Realize your energy depends on the energy of the food you eat.An apple or a candy?
It helps then understand why farmers are the backbone of a nation.
They understand about growing food and eating fresh.
They understand cooking is not just something Maa does.Its something everyone needs to do, to stay healthy.
They understand going back to nature is the best way to beat big food and big pharma.
They realize nature never stops working and karma is a way of life.
They realize flowers bloom in the morning to wilt in the evening .But next day another flower will still bloom.That’s karma do your work,pray to God and keep going.
They understand about cycle of life,the eternal soul and inner peace.
They understand true wealth are your health,the people around you,the land where you grow food and the ability to work and earn a living.
For that matter nature is essential for adults too .We are a part of nature and we all need to realize this.
(Why science says green time matters for growing minds)
When you think back to your own childhood, what memories feel most alive? Chances are they involve open skies, trees, muddy hands, or the thrill of catching butterflies. Science now confirms what our hearts already knew — nature isn’t just nice for kids; it’s essential.
From stronger mental health to better learning and creativity, research from around the world has shown that green time is powerful medicine for children’s bodies and minds. Here’s what the science says — in five minutes or less.
🌱 1. Nature builds healthier, happier children
A landmark systematic review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found consistent links between time in nature and children’s physical activity, emotional well-being, and social development. Children who regularly play outside move more, sleep better, and report higher happiness scores.
Key takeaway: Kids who spend at least 60–90 minutes outdoors daily have better overall health profiles — regardless of screen time or socioeconomic status.
🧠 2. Greener spaces support brain development and focus
Multiple studies show that access to trees, parks, and gardens helps children think and learn better. In Italy, Asta et al. (2021) tracked children from birth to age 7 and found higher cognitive scores among those living near greenspaces. Similarly, Saenen et al. (2023) demonstrated that long-term exposure to green areas improved working memory and attention.
In practice: Even short outdoor lessons or recess in green schoolyards can improve concentration and academic performance.
💚 3. Nature soothes anxiety and lifts mood
A 2024 systematic review by Lomax et al. found robust evidence linking nature exposure with reduced anxiety, depression, and stress in children and adolescents. Tillmann et al. (2018) confirmed that accessibility, exposure, and active engagement with nature all correlate with better mental-health scores.
Think of nature as a “mood vitamin.” Even a half-hour in the park can restore calm and resilience after a busy school day.
⚡ 4. Nature time helps attention and ADHD symptoms
Classic experiments by Taylor et al. (2009) found that children with ADHD concentrated better after a walk in the park compared with a downtown stroll. Population studies (Donovan et al., 2019) also link greener neighborhoods with lower ADHD prevalence.
Pro tip: Schedule “green breaks” — 15-minute park or garden walks — before homework or study time.
🪴 5. Early exposure matters most
Early-life exposure to green environments predicts fewer behavioral problems and stronger cognitive outcomes in preschoolers (Dockx et al., 2022). This means planting a tree, walking to school through a park, or keeping plants on balconies truly adds up over time.
🌍 6. Why every community needs child-friendly green space
Nature isn’t just about individual play. It’s about public health and equity. Jimenez et al. (2021) showed that green exposure benefits extend across ages and income levels, but access remains unequal. Sprague et al. (2022) emphasize the need for urban planning that brings safe, nearby natural spaces to all children.
Policy note: Greening schools and neighborhoods is one of the simplest, evidence-backed ways to improve children’s health worldwide.
🧾 In a nutshell:
Benefit
Supported by research
What parents can do
Better mental health
Lomax 2024, Tillmann 2018
Outdoor play & family park days
Improved focus / ADHD
Taylor 2009, Donovan 2019
Nature breaks before study
Enhanced cognition
Asta 2021, Saenen 2023
School garden projects
Stronger physical health
Fyfe-Johnson 2021
Active outdoor games
Lifelong resilience
Dockx 2022, Jimenez 2021
Regular green exposure from early years
🌻 Ready to begin? Download your free “7-Day Nature Challenge for Kids” checklist!
Each day includes a 10- to 30-minute nature-based micro-activity you can fit into any schedule — perfect for busy families.
✅ Take-home message
Nature is not optional — it’s foundational for healthy childhood development.
Even small, daily doses of green time yield measurable benefits for mind, body, and mood.
As parents, teachers, and communities, investing in children’s connection with nature may be the simplest, most cost-effective public-health strategy available.
“If we want children to flourish, we must give them time to touch the earth, smell the rain, and watch things grow.”
References (PubMed/PMC): Fyfe-Johnson AL et al. 2021; Lomax T et al. 2024; Tillmann S et al. 2018; Donovan GH et al. 2019; Taylor AF et al. 2009; Asta F et al. 2021; Saenen ND et al. 2023; Dockx Y et al. 2022; Sprague NL et al. 2022; Jimenez MP et al. 2021.
I wasn’t a gardner. My parents weren’t either.But my paternal Grand father must have been one,though I never had an opportunity to ask him.You may wonder why I say this.Its because he planted the tree which still bears fruits some sixty years later.
The tree is as tall as five storied building and was the reason behind many of my childhood daydreams and adventures plus delicious summers eating the firm juicy Jackfruit from the mighty tree.
I think the tree liked me too.I always felt very protective towards it.Its the reason I made plant friends easily and now have been able to increase my family of trees and plants to a number I can’t count.I love picking fruits fresh from trees and eating them.
The best part is, it gave me the first idea of how even a single tall green tree can help nurture a child.I started gardening in October 2014 the very same time I started blogging and writing online.I am not always writing aiming for SEO and money.
Writing is the cheapest ,easiest,most accessible method for my self therapy.To balance my moods indoors, when I can’t visit gardens,parks or go for fun nature walks.I miss nature even more than coffee or tea and the same amount as books.That’s saying a lot since I am a voracious reader .
But I degress .I published the audio book on How to Walk Write and Garden for the Healthy Life you want free on Youtube.
One reason was because, I wanted it to be available for free for those who want to find wellness in their daily life through going back to nature,words,walking and the simple stuff.Its not rocket science but in this world of sunless rooms ,it’s important to repeat truths ,lest people forget.
Green Gift
On that note sharing my favorite garden quotes-
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.-Greek proverb by Unknown author
Quotes by Alfred Austin
We come from the earth,go back to earth in between we garden
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.
To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.
Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.
There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder.
A garden that one makes oneself becomes associated with one’s personal history and that of one’s friends, interwoven with one’s tastes, preferences and character and constitutes a sort of unwritten autobiography.
Plucking Ripe Mango
Exclusiveness in a garden is a mistake as great as it is in society.
No one can rightly call his garden his own unless he himself made it.
There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.-Janet Kilburn Phillips
Fresh Green Ripe
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. – Audrey Hepburn
My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece. Claude Monet
I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.-Claude Monet
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.-Marcus Tullius Cicero
Garden as though you will live forever.-William Kent Life begins the day you start a garden. a Chinese proverb
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. Emily Bronte
The best place to find God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. George Bernard Shaw
Being a tree hugger helped me !
The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land. Abraham Lincoln
To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.-Mahatma Gandhi
No single sort of garden suits everyone. Shut your eyes and dream of the garden you’d most love then open your eyes and start planting. Loved gardens flourish, boring ones are hard work. Jackie French
Where flowers bloom, so does hope. Lady Bird Johnson
Did you know ,Monet had his own garden Givenchy which was the inspiration behind his paintings?
My garden is the inspiration behind my painting.
Trying Botanical Line Drawing
Art Recap 2024
🌿 Gardening Quotes I Love 🌿
🪴
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
— Audrey Hepburn
☀️
“Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years.”
— Unknown
🌼
“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.”
— Gertrude Jekyll
🌳
“Gardening is the purest of human pleasures.”
— Francis Bacon
🌸
“Gardening is how I relax. It’s another form of creating and playing with colors.”
I can’t stop at five so here goes my favorite fruits with the top five in order.
Mangoes
Oranges
Mosambi/Sweet lime
Black grapes
Jaam/Indian black berry,black plum or java plum
Bananas
Guavas
Water Apple/Rose apple/Jamrul
Mulberry
Jackfruit
But secretly a fruit platter is my favorite way to snack .I even wrote a book about all the fruits I like and their nutrition secrets .It’s called Fruits for Life |What your Doctor Won’t Tell!
I grow mangoes,chiku,water apple,banana, tute(mulberry),jamun, litchi,jackfruit,guavas and papaya. Each of these fruits taste amazing when plucked and eaten fresh.
West Bengal has the perfect climate for growing the sweet tropical fruits which are delicious straight from the tree.
Sharing videos of the fruits I grew.
Mango garden
Mulberries in the balcony garden
Fresh Guavas
Starting a Home Garden
Water Apple
I even wrote a wellness book on gardening,walking and writing .
Jadav Payeng, is famous as the “Forest Man of India,” planted a variety of trees in Molai Forest, including bamboo, cotton trees, and other indigenous species. The forest now includes several thousand trees, including arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Pride of India (Lagerstroemia speciosa), royal poinciana (Delonix regia), silk trees (Albizia procera), and moj,Arjun,Gulmohar, Bamboo covers over 300 hectares of the forest.
Molai forest is a forest on Majuli district in the Brahmaputra River near Kokilamukh, Assam, India.
He planted for 3 months every year on a barren land which now has turned into a Famous forest.
26. The story of Jadav Payeng, the man who planted one tree every day for 37 years on Majuli Island, Assam India. He has now created a forest and wildlife reserve twice the size of Central Park in New York. pic.twitter.com/LcufUVwMTH
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” ~ John Muir.
To that I want to add …everyone needs a little bit of Green forest in their life to really bloom.
I am participating in Blogchatter A2Z 2025 and also the April Ultimate blog challenge and you can find all the April posts here. This is a I post.
One more example of great work in green India by Vijay Dobaria.
On World Environment Day I introduce the nation to Vijay Dobaria, 42, a small Rajkot Bizman who should go down as one of the greatest creators of urban forests in history of India. In 3 years he has created 270 urban jungles covering 500 acres in Gujarat on PPP model with almost… pic.twitter.com/cSmcZl4alR
Mulberries in my Balcony Garden.I always wanted to grow fruits .But growing fruits in pots is difficult on a balcony which has three sides covered.But this year my Mulberry plant surprised me.Its one year old but we tasted the first tangy fruit this season.You can find all the April posts here.
This is rich in antioxidants and is great for your metabolic health.
Sharing the changing colours of this delicious fruit.Its called tute in Malda.What do you call this is your language?
There’s something about art.Be it writing,singing,dancing, doodling,painting,crafting,sculpting sewing,making furniture or anything creating something always puts me in a place of calm happy.
Growing up I heard a lot about mental health and illnesses arising from it on both sides of the family. That was a driving force behind me studying to be a doctor.While eventually surgery being my favourite subject I did my post graduation as an ENT surgeon, taking care of my mental health has always played a very important path.
I never stopped reading and researching with my own head being a laboratory of sorts.I loved reading from a very young age.That has been a constant companion for me since forever.I don’t want to be without a book anywhere.It stops me from making foolhardy decisions,from being bored.
Yellow Alamanda
But writing and now painting has absolutely changed the course of my mind.I almost feel there’s been a chemical reaction inside the brain and I do my professional work better because of it.
Doctors need to be healthy. Just like everybody else.But taking care of illnesses can be physically and mentally taxing .That’s why it’s always better not to be too emotionally involved .Because then rational decisions become difficult.
Shalo paddmoWatercolor of Shimul leaf
But how much is caring and when does caring too much start?How will we build that border in the brain?How to switch off the doctor mode and get into the mommy mode?That was unchartered territory for me as a mom.
I felt emotionally raw ,uber sensitive and unable to cope. Didn’t feel I was doing what I studied so hard to become. Felt overwhelmed, underappreciated,overworked,sleep deprived and out of control.That was 2012,2013,2014.I was walking on my treadmill almost daily but no other fun exercise or play time.Story books were possible only when the little one slept and we did art stuff together.
Tree of life:Seeing trees and painting trees keep me alive
In late 2014, something changed.I started balcony gardening.Life looked better.I had help and support,more than many people.I was working ,but not coping well with sleeplessness and night duties.In fact, I was heading for a collapse.In 2018 both of us resigned from our Government jobs at Malda Medical College. It was a clean cut.I realized dreams change and shift perspective as one grows a few wise brain cells.Its not easy making the sudden shifts which appear as crossroads in life,but nothing worthwhile ever is.
In COVID things took another turn. Homebound I started writing stories and doing more watercolour,mithila art,and while trying to cope decided to renovate the village home. Dilapidated and neglected that home and the garden has changed our lives forever.So the pandemic brought art closer to my life and I grew roots in a mango garden.
But what is Art therapy?When you use art(drawing/painting/crafting/sewing/sculpting/dance/music) in any form to calm the mind down and find your flow its art therapy.Kids respond very well to the calming effect of art .My daughter and I have drawn and painted together since she was two years old. I am so glad I did that because it has made her a much calmer and confident young girl than I ever was.
In 2021 with a few friends we invested in small plots of land to plant trees in.We roamed in mango garden, played in the village fields on weekends.Gift of Green is real.
Mango season means we pick carefully.A few unripe ones for the amer tok or aam dal.Perfect for hot summer days.This is fruit from the Garden we planted in 2022 .Imagine a tree only 2-year-old has started to bear fruits.
It looks difficult until you do it.The journey towards nature is a journey towards wellness.Fruits you grow yourself just taste better.Plus the kids have so much fun participating in this ,that I never have to tell them “don’t cut trees”.
We have come a long way.I started balcony gardening in 2014 and my Balcony Garden helps me during the week.I tried hydroponics too in 2020, but it’s not sustainable for me. During the weekend ,the village gardens are where we hang out.Walking,playing and dreaming
Nature Therapy is not new.It’s not rocket science either.But simple things and simple solutions means people don’t take it seriously enough. The biggest loser in the fast race to unplanned urbanization are the people.We need to focus on making our villages,small towns self sufficient, so that the green is maintained. Inspired by @blogchatter to share the story.
Mental health disorders which are affected mainly include
depression disorders
anxiety
cognitive impairment
dementias
Alzheimer’s disease
schizophrenia
Autism
While pharmacological treatment is the first choice for mental disorders to alleviate the major symptoms, many antipsychotics contribute to poor quality of life and debilitating adverse effects. Therefore, clinicians have turned toward to complementary treatments, such as art therapy in addressing the health needs of patients more than half a century ago.More work is needed but the horizon shows hope.
I am the prettiest of them all
…said no flower ever.Lesson to learn -Humility. Flowers are absolutely stunning and they have zero airs.Imagine humans being that grounded! It’s difficult to balance self confidence and self-worth while staying humble.Another thing flowers do with grave.
God give me grace and humility.
Something to add to my bedtime prayer routine.Writing this with #BlogchatterHalfMarathan #gardenwisdom #healthwealthbridge #gardeningmoments
A lower connection to nature is related to lower mental health benefits from nature contact Chia-Chen Chang # 1 2, Brenda B Lin # 3, Xiaoqi Feng 4 5 6, Erik Andersson 7 8 9, John Gardner 10, Thomas Astell-Burt 5 11 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38509180/
Nature-Based Therapy in Individuals with Mental Health Disorders, with a Focus on Mental Well-Being and Connectedness to Nature—A Pilot Study Lilly Joschko,1 Anna María Pálsdóttir,1 Patrik Grahn,1 and Maximilian Hinse2,* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9914984/
The Effects of Nature Exposure Therapies on Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Levels: A Systematic Review Diana Marcela Paredes-Céspedes,1,* Norida Vélez,1 Alejandra Parada-López,1 Yesith Guillermo Toloza-Pérez,1 Eliana M. Téllez,1 Claudia Portilla,1 Carolina González,2 Leany Blandón,2 Juan Carlos Santacruz,2 and Jeadran Malagón-Rojas1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10969128/
