The Importance of Getting Kids Outdoors
Dale Atkins' new kids book has many life lessons for people of all ages.
Posted June 2, 2026 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina
Ample research clearly shows there are many benefits associated with getting youngsters outside so they can experience all sorts of nature. 1 Among these benefits is the rewilding the lives of youngsters are included : It builds confidence , promotes creativity and imagination , teaches responsibility, gets them moving and provides different sorts of motor skills, makes them think, and reduces stress and fatigue. It's also usually simple to do, inexpensive, and fun.
Furthermore, among the many life lessons associated with getting kids into nature are the development of connections and relationships with different animals and flora along with empathy and compassion for the lives of other-than-human beings. Children are curious naturalists and we need to teach them well.
Whenever I think of the positive ubiquity of getting kids outside, I think of Richard Louv's seminal ideas about and research into that he calls Nature Deficit Disorder. I also fondly remember my parents always saying in a thoroughly caring way, "You can never spend too much time outdoors, so get out of here." I'm sure that tons of outdoor time was very important in my becoming a field ethologist, athlete , and spending most of my life working for animal and environmental well-being.
For these and other reasons and the importance of early childhood education in shaping lives and values in all sorts of venues, I was thrilled to learn of Dr. Dale Atkins' new kids book Dear Deer in which two children who are exploring the wonders of the wild "learn valuable lessons about compassion, patience, empathy, tuning into their senses, and the delicate balance of nature."
Marc Bekoff: Why did you write Dear Deer ?
Dale Atkins: An encounter in June 2021 with a doe and her fawn stayed with me in a profound way and ultimately led me to write Dear Deer . I came upon a young fawn struggling in a pond as the tide was coming in, while its mother stood nearby, visibly distressed, as if trying to draw my attention to her baby’s plight. That moment, so immediate and quietly urgent, remained with me and became the emotional heart of the story.
At the same time, in my clinical practice and in our broader culture, I have witnessed rising levels of anxiety , depression , and loneliness among young children, alongside the growing pull of screens that fragment attention and erode patience. It feels like a quiet crisis. I felt compelled to respond, not with a prescriptive guide, but through a story that children and families could experience together.
As I wrote, I realized I was creating something that felt like a love letter to nature. I wanted to offer a gentle invitation to return to the natural world, not just as an escape, but as a place of restoration where confidence, resilience , and connection can take root.
Nature has a steady, regulating presence. It calms and resets our nervous systems in ways that are simple yet profound. In a time when technology shapes how children think and relate, Dear Deer reminds us of our deep connection to the earth, to other living beings, and to one another. It reflects my belief that when children engage with nature, not just observing it but feeling part of it, they develop empathy, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
MB: Whom do you hope to reach?
DA: I hope to reach children and families first, because it is in those shared moments that connection begins. I also hope to reach the adults who care for and guide them, including educators, clinicians, camps, parks, nature centers, and therapeutic programs. These are the people who help shape a child’s daily experience and sense of the world.
MB: What are some of the topics you explore and your major messages?
DA: Dear Deer explores empathy, presence, and the balance between helping and respecting boundaries . One of the central ideas is that children learn to care not through facts alone, but through feeling and connection.
The story invites children to slow down, to notice, to listen, and to engage all of their senses. When children are given the opportunity to experience nature in this way, they benefit in meaningful ways. It builds emotional resilience, confidence, and problem-solving skills. It engages the whole child, supporting sensory awareness and full body development. It sparks curiosity and imagination, encourages patience, and strengthens the ability to wonder, ponder, and wait.
Time in nature also promotes emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. It fosters independence through unstructured exploration, deepens focus in a calm and effortless way, and strengthens empathy. Over time, it cultivates environmental responsibility and creates a lasting sense of wonder and connection.
The book also emphasizes that we are part of nature, not separate from it. This is something I feel deeply. When children experience this sense of connection, they begin to relate differently. They become more respectful, more aware, and more inclined to care for the world around them. I have seen how even the smallest moments in nature can shape how a child understands themselves and their place in the world.
MB: How does your work differ from others addressing similar topics?
DA: Many people are addressing children’s mental health and the impact of technology. Where my work differs is in how I approach these concerns. I do not begin with instruction. I begin with relationship.
Through story, I invite children and adults into an experience that engages the senses, emotions, and imagination. This allows empathy and understanding to emerge naturally. Dear Deer invites children to feel, not just to learn.
My background teaching children with additional needs, particularly those who are deaf or hard of hearing, shaped my sensitivity to how children experience the world through their senses. This carries into my work with nature, where I encourage children to sharpen observation and awareness.
I also emphasize intergenerational connection. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers are partners in shaping a child’s inner world and identity through shared experiences.
Ultimately, I focus on small, repeatable moments of noticing and connecting. These moments build a child’s sense of safety, confidence, and belonging over time. My work is less about changing behavior and more about shaping identity through connection.
MB: Are you hopeful that children will develop more empathy toward animals and nature?
DA: Yes, I am hopeful. Learning about animals can open the door to deeper connection, not only to animals but to the natural world. When children begin to understand that they are part of nature, they naturally develop respect, compassion, and a sense of stewardship. Observing animals and the natural world helps children develop patience, attention, and perspective. They notice patterns and relationships, which deepens their understanding of life itself.
When children feel connected, they care. And when they care, they act with thoughtfulness and responsibility. That is where meaningful change begins.
Dr. Dale Atkins is a licensed psychologist, educator, storyteller and nature enthusiast with more than forty years of experience focusing on families, wellness, managing stress, and living a balanced, meaningful life. Author of nine books and many chapters and articles for popular and professional audiences, she is a featured speaker who lectures and leads seminars worldwide. Dale also has appeared regularly on NBC’s TODAY and CNN.
- Getting kids outside: one of the best things a parent can do ; Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature ; What Is the 20-5-3 Rule for Nature? Easy Ways to Connect Kids to Animals, People, and Nature ; Children and Animals: Teach the Children Well ; Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence . A web search for "benefits of getting kids outside into nature" yields innumerable references on these topics.
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Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.