More Green Time Less Screen Time
In our post-pandemic society our jobs, entertainment, and communications have all evolved and done so with the aid or crutch of technology. We love getting the chance to work from home on a snowy day or binge-watching that new show we adore, but has technology really helped us? The University of Adelaide conducted a study examining “the associations between screen time, green time, and psychological outcomes such as mental health, cognitive functioning, and academic achievement.” (Sexton) The University compiled and analyzed 186 studies and found that “high levels of screen time were associated with unfavorable psychological outcomes, while green time was associated with favorable outcomes.” (Sexton)
According to the University of California San Francisco, recent studies have shown that, screen time in children and teens can lead Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, eating disorders, and depression. Pre-COVID, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended only 2 hours or less of screen time for kids 5 years old and up. Similar to Waldorf education, they did not recommend screen time for children under the age of 5. Recently, they began moving away from giving specific hours because, in our post-COIVD world, kids spend far more than 2 hours daily on their screens. In addition, they recognize that not all screen time is equal. Educational screen time can benefit learning and reinforce academic skills, whereas watching YouTube videos can have long-term adverse effects. One of the recommendations from the AAP is to create a screen time plan for your family. One that could be renegotiated each year as your child develops. Some things to consider when creating a screen time plan are putting computers or screens in public areas or setting parental controls on them. Creating daily limits for screen or certain types of screen usage like video games, and creating screen-free times or screen-free zones. All of these could be shared agreements that allow you to better monitor your child’s usage and reduce the negative effects of screens.
In the Pacific Northwest, the idea of limiting screens can be particularly challenging. In the late spring, summer, and early fall you find most families out hiking, attending festivals, gardening, and just enjoying nature, but come late fall that changes with the weather. With rain and snow, what are children supposed to do to entertain themselves away from screens? The answer, at least in Waldorf education, is dressing for the seasons and making the outside an adventure. We have a saying, “There’s no bad weather only bad clothing.” If you are dressed for the weather, exploring the outdoors shouldn’t be a problem no matter the season. That is a philosophy applied from our early childhood all the way through 8th grade. Students as young as three are encouraged to learn to put on their own raingear, play in the mud, search for worms, make up games, and find adventure. We want to see them thrive outside and with that comes happiness and eagerness to learn and grow inside as well.
We also strive to bring the natural world into the classroom. Students are greeted in early childhood by wooden toys and natural fibers. They have an area in the class dedicated to the season with wood, stones, and plants representing the specific time of year, and Kindergarteners tend to our urban gardens deepening their own connections with the earth. We begin rain-or-shine field trips to farms at this time as well, teaching children about animals and plants. As students grow so does their outdoor learning. They may look at natural geometric patterns and replicate them or take a multiple-day sailing trip to learn oceanography. These children are not in front of computers they are out learning about the world around them and much like the University of Adelaide study you can see the difference in their love of learning and their levels of happiness.
It may seem challenging to live in the Pacific Northwest and not expect kids to rely on screens during the winter months, but it’s not impossible and will result in more curious, happy, and well-rounded children.
If you are interested in your child having a more green education, please reach out for more information or to schedule a tour. To learn more about the studies mentioned in this article please visit: https://www.earth.com/news/less-screen-time-and-more-green-time-improves-mental-health/