Finding ecohappiness Fun nature activities to help your kids feel happier and calmer

It's a stressful world out there, especially for many kids. Schwartz, who suffered from anxiety herself as a child, looks to the natural world for relief. Being outdoors has been shown to slow breathing, lower blood pressure, and sharpen focus in adults, and the author contends that kids will experience the same benefits. Schwartz focuses on seven different practices and offers clear suggestions on how parents, grandparents, teachers, or youth leaders can incorporate nature into each. She begins with mindfulness, suggesting outdoor yoga, meditation spots, breathing into flowers, and walking barefoot in grass or sand to calm one's thoughts. The author encourages awe and gratitude by exposing children to rainbows and waterfalls and promotes outdoor play and exploration. Creating nature pictures and journals can make kids more aware, interacting with animals promotes calm, fresh fruits and limited sugar balance the body, and volunteering nurtures the soul. Each chapter ends with a checklist of activities and a list of related books and organizations. Colorful illustrations and practical suggestions make this book a handy parenting resource.

Anxiety and depression are spreading among children and teens, particularly in the midst of the pandemic, racial inequity, and political turmoil; screens are dominating children's lives, between online classes and time spent at home, isolated from peers, journalist Schwartz argues. She cites studies that suggest that connecting with nature on a regular basis reduces stress and boosts mood, and proposes here that spending time outside is a good antidote to anxiety and depression in children (and their parents). The book's main topics are mindfulness, awe and gratitude, outdoor play, creative arts, animals, food, and volunteering, and it suggests that parents and children spend time together in nature, via activities like outdoor labyrinths, walking meditations, forest bathing, and float therapy. Each chapter ends with an activity checklist and a list of resources and organizations for digging deeper. Caregivers of all kinds are sure to find a nature-related activity they can enjoy with children, and Schwartz's scientific data is both fascinating and enlightening. VERDICT A fun resource for adults and children who love the outdoors. Those who want to start making regular time for nature and the outdoors in their household will find this an easy guide.

A common symptom of stress and anxiety is feeling like we cannot breathe. It can be very frightening, and lead to more panic. On the other hand, the breath is central to a mindfulness practice and can instantly help calm us down. Having a breathing practice has been scientifically proven to minimize stress and anxiety, and is a simple tool to teach our children to use in times of stress.60 Best of all, it is portable so they can access it whenever they need. Fortunately, there are a multitude of breathing exercises that can slow our breathing and mitigate unsettling emotions. Some involve breathing in a particular pattern while others are all about visualization. The most important thing is to teach children how to breathe from their diaphragm; this is when the belly expands and fills up with air. Small, shallow chest breathing only exacerbates anxiety. It is also recommended to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth for the most relaxing effect. We can pass along this important instrument to our kids by using some fun, playful approaches that relate to nature: Dandelion breath. Either get a real dandelion or ask your children to use their imagination. While holding it about an arm's length out in front, have them take in a big inhalation through their nose, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly blow the dandelion so the seeds disperse through the air. Wave breathing. If you have access to a beach nearby, you can have your kids breathe in and out to the rhythm of the waves cresting and crashing. You can also use a video to create the same effect. Sunrise breath. Invite your children stand up tall with their arms by their sides. Tell them to raise both arms high above their head until their fingers touch and their arms are in a round shape like the sun. Hold for a few seconds and then exhale strongly, allowing the arms to gently fall back down. Excerpted from Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer by Sandi Schwartz All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.