ESSAY FOR 6BDA

QUESTION:

Because of the busy pace of modern life, many children spend most of their time indoors and have little exposure to the natural world.
Discuss the effects of lack of experience with and understanding of nature can have on children as they grow up.  Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

ANSWER:

    Modern children are busy with school, computers, television and other indoor activities and therefore spend little time outdoors in nature.  Because of this, they often end up with no knowledge or understanding of the natural world.  In my opinion, this is a serious problem.  Children need to understand and appreciate nature, not only for their own good but for the good of the planet as a whole.

     Spending time outdoors in nature is important for children's development.  Most people will agree that children need to be physically active, and the best way to achieve this is to allow them to spend a good part of each day playing outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine.  Exploring the outdoors also gives children the chance to develop their curiosity and increase their knowledge of the natural world around them.  When children do not have the chance to play freely outdoors, it has a negative effect on their physical health and limits their knowledge of the world.  They may even learnt to fear things that are part of nature because they do not understand them.

     Children who have not developed an appreciation of the natural world will have a hard time understanding the importance of protecting the environment.  It will be difficult for them to realize how the trash they throw away could end up harming an ocean bird, for example.  It will be hard for them to understand that keeping the planet healthy for plants and animals also means keeping it healthy for humans.

     Children need to spend a lot of time outdoors interacting with the natural world.  It keeps them healthy and it helps them learn to keep our planet healthy.  It is important for the future of everyone.