The secret to merry kids this winter? Whisk them away from screens and go outdoors for nature walks. They will love it, says teenage naturalist Dara McAnulty
Winter is my absolute favourite season. The quiet excitement of an early morning walk, the messages left by snowfall, the skies brimming with a music so different to spring’s lustrous chorus hold a very special place for me.
In winter, we need to motivate ourselves a little more to brave the cold and, often, the rain, but it is worth every droplet and every gust. You never feel worse after a bracing winter walk and, luckily, many aspects of nature have a clarity that we rarely see in other seasons. To leave behind the busyness of what can be an overwhelming Christmas season, the technology that seems to dominate our lives and thoughts, and immerse ourselves in nature during the coldest months: this can be majestically magical.
My autistic brain can become overloaded by the brightness of summer and the rush of returning to university in the autumn. By the time December arrives, a calm has descended and the natural richness of the season can comfort me like a warm blanket.
As a young child, I felt my deep connection to the natural world in all its intensity during these months. Capturing the sleek shape of an otter on my local river, as snow bowed branches down to tip the water’s surface. The sharp intake of breath at the moonlit wings of a barn owl, seen with such brightness on the darkest of nights. Immeasurably wondrous. Playing detective as I tracked animal prints high on snowy hills: was it a fox?!
Spending time outdoors on wintry days, my parents cajoled, was good for my health. It would improve my immune system, give me much-needed vitamin D as well as boosting my mood and overall wellbeing. Now, as a young scientist, I know this to be true. Research from the World Economic Forum has shown that children who engage in regular play and exploration outdoors do much better in school and have improved health.
I can understand that parents may find it challenging to encourage nature walks outdoors, especially in cold weather, but I believe the task becomes much easier if led by example, and who can resist a winter walk if there’s a flask of hot chocolate on the go, too? Wrapping up as warm as possible and having a positive mindset make exploring a welcome breeze. Do not think that nature is abs
