In today’s technological world we spend a lot of time at work, at the shops, or at home in front of the TV. If we do see the natural world, mostly it will be through a TV screen. Whilst useful and informative, we miss about 90% of what there is to experience – smells, design, feel, textures, colours and shapes. Today’s children are missing out on the real beauty of nature.

So how, as parents, can we encourage our children to experience and appreciate the natural world?

1. If possible, as early in their life as possible, develop a family habit of outside recreational activities. Instead of indoor or city centre pursuits, choose the outside pursuits.

2. Whatever age of your child, take him out and about to areas of beauty – woods, beaches, estuaries, rivers, ponds, parks, nature reserves, animal sanctuaries, wildfowl centres, and take advantage of the beauty that appears at different times of the year, like Bluebell time.

3. Whilst out, touch things and encourage your child to do so. Smell flowers and plants and point out what’s beautiful or unique about it. Don’t assume he will notice this. Make him aware of its finer details, details that are often missed by just a glance. Often the real beauty is in these details, and these may be what inspires him to find out more.

4. Show that you are interested and excited by what you see. Some children may laugh at you or show no interest, but may well grow up to appreciate nature as adults. If they really are not interested, do not force them, but continue to enjoy the outdoors.

5. In your home, encourage less reliance on digital stimulation and fill your home with traditional games, books and toys. Do not feel your child is missing out this way. With all the technological developments and electronic toys and computers we have, man has not become more intelligent, only more reliant upon technology.

6. Consider the possibility of having no TV in your home, so that your child is forced to go out and experience the world about him for interest and occupation. If this sounds a daunting idea, read ‘The Chilled Parent’ – Effective Parenting, Peacefully and Powerfully, to find out how other families have lived happily without television.

7. The outdoors and nature is relaxing. Just compare a piece of concrete or tarmac to a piece of green grass. The visual impact is quite different. The green grass is soft and relaxing as opposed to the hardness and dirtiness of concrete.

Encouraging an appreciation of the natural world and its beauty is a wonderful gift we can give our children, not just for today but for the future. An appreciation of nature is a gentle de-stresser which your children, when adults, can enjoy and benefit from. Such an appreciation gives them a well-balanced and pleasurable view of the world about them.