Medical Community
ICAN encourages the medical community to understand the benefits of children spending time outside and to communicate the importance of this aspect of childhood development to their patients.
It has been well documented that there are intellectual, physical, emotional, social benefits from time spent in nature. This document from the Children and Nature Network (C&NN) is an annotated bibliography of Research and Studies of health benefits for children from contact from the outdoors and nature. The National Environmental Education Foundation has a fact sheet on the health benefits of the natural environment. The medical community can provide a “prescription for outdoor play.” This prescription educates parents that children need free time outside in nature during their developing years. Quick Steps to Start
For Parents:
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Time spent in the natural environment can:
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