Children's Rights: Children's Right to Nature

Children's Rights: Children's Right to Nature: "A topic that has been interesting to me in the past few years has been children's lack of contact in their natural environment. There have ..."

Children's Right to Nature

A topic that has been interesting to me in the past few years has been children's lack of contact in their natural environment.  There have been numerous studies that have found that children are spending more time inside and more screen time which includes computers, video games, television etc. The side effects that they are finding include childhood obesity and lack of respect and knowledge for their environment.   Many schools have eliminated recess from their daily schedule and those that have a playground, mainly in urban areas, it consists of concrete and no natural elements.

As of January 2010 Colorado Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien has created  a Colorado Outdoor Bill of Rights for kids.  She traveled to many communities in the state to hear what the children thought their rights to nature was.   Here is the list:

1. Camp out under the stars
2. Follow a trail -- ride it, walk it, and be respectful of everyone's right to use the trail.
3. Play in a creek or river -- fish, wade, paddle or skip a stone.
4. Experience the wonders of Colorado's four seasons: wildflowers, abundant sunshine, the changing aspen leaves and fresh powder snow.
5. Visit a working farm or ranch.
6. Enjoy the view from the top of a mountain.
7. Identify Colorado's official state wildlife and plants in their natural habitat.
8. Explore one of Colorado's dozens of local, state and national parks.
9. Play in the dirt and learn about the world from the ground up.
10. Plant a seed for other Colorado kids to enjoy in the future.
11. 
    

My questions to you all

Do children have the right to nature?
What are the benefits in your mind?
  Is recess taking away from Academic studies?

What are some rights that are not on this list that you would include?
  Are some different because where you live?

Your rights as a child

hello,
thanks for checking out my blog and contributing your thoughts.

So I wanted to start this off with some your thoughts about your rights when you were  a child. I understand it might be difficult to remember.

What do you feel like your rights were or what are some rights that you feel weren't respected. At home? in school? in society?

Did you feel like you were part of a community?  Were you able to voice your opinion on decisions?

What is the importance of the participation of a child in the community?

Children's Rights Document

Hello all! I have attached a link on the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
This will give you an idea of what I am learning at school and the premise for this whole discussion.

http://childrightscampaign.org/crcindex.php?sNav=index_snav.php&sDat=index_dat.php




I understand there is a lot of content, so feel free to skim.
Please feel to post thoughts, ideas or questions.