Study shows a decline of young girls in the outdoors

A recent study shows that youth participation in the outdoors has declined 11 percent overall with the sharpest decline being 16 percent in young girls between the ages of 6 and 12.

According to the 2008 study by the Outdoor Industry Association, the biggest inspiration for enjoying outdoors activities are parents, friends and other relatives.  “Fun” was cited as the largest motivator for getting young people outdoors.  Though “fun” is not defined in the study, I suspect my idea of showing a child how a rivulet of water erodes a path in the sand on a riverbank wasn’t what they were thinking.

The hectic schedules of today’s families can lead to some hard choices:  Anyone who has lived any length of time with a sulking adolescent may very well take the easy way out, and choose to stay in town so he or she can hang out at the mall or play Ultimate with friends.  Telling your 6-year-old that she’s going hiking instead of attending her friend’s birthday party can be heartbreaking (and perhaps a little noisy). But doing so on occasion may help you a few years down the road when she’s 12 and you wish to take her camping.

On a recent stroll on the Old Sauk River trail near Darrington, the child of my friend was very happy to collect leaves for his mom and poke at things with a stick.  When he saw how happy I was to see a mushroom, Jared was happy to point out each and every one to me.  This means we did not get far down the trail, but Jared was having fun, and everyone else was, too.

Forget the rivulets on the ocean shore, forget the sound of wind in the trees, forget the soaring eagles; kids like sticks.

To avoid becoming a victim of “Nature Deficit Disorder,” a phrase coined by author Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, it’s important to instill the love of the outdoors in children early.

Some organized groups specialize in getting kids interested in the outdoors.  WTA is hosting an all-girls workparty at Wallace Falls State Park this summer. Local organizations such as Wilderness Awareness School  in Duvall and  Passages Northwest are experienced in un-bunching the most bunched-up adolescent.  Passages Northwest schedules work parties with WTA, and their “Girls Rock!” after school program teaches them rock climbing skills.