Tag: outdoor education

In my last post Benefits of Outdoor Education for School Children I talked a bit about some of the issues facing students growing up in metropolitan areas in this age of technology. I arrived at a rather unsettling observation when I realised many school-aged children living in larger cities have really only experienced the simulated outdoors we have provided for them. Somehow, with our hectic lifestyles, we have unconsciously allowed indoor playgrounds and ‘fun centres’ to become a bleak substitute for the great outdoors. And while these venues are a great step towards engaging young people and students in being active and healthy, it really doesn’t shape up to the real thing at all when you think about it. On all of our school talks we discuss the animals that live in the area, both native and introduced. Students get to feel the rush of excitement of seeing animals in their natural habitat, unrestrained by human control and man-made enclosures. These encounters help to instil a sense of unity and respect for the environment and it’s inhabitants for students, particularly those who have had little opportunity to experience nature up close before. Teachers spend a lot of time educating students about climate change and the effects that humans have on the earth. Campaigns, talks and advertisements aimed at students are springing up all the time in the attempt to raise awareness of the impact we are having on the ecosystem. While these are fantastic in their intention, they’re just words and folk stories to young people who may be so disconnected from nature they don’t understand or relate with the issues being raised at all. It’s obvious that all of us here at Melbourne Adventure Hub are passionate about wildlife and the environment. We love the outdoors and all Mother