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Marie Lanen
Head of parenting sections (baby, pregnancy, family), psychology and beauty
At a time when lifestyles are urbanizing at breakneck speed, where screens are omnipresent and time spent outdoors is becoming increasingly rare; we would no longer be able to recognize oak leaves or death trumpets… This is the (sad) observation of a recent survey. Here’s how to reverse the trend.
According to a new study, 6 out of 10 children are unable to name an oak leaf in a photo. This is the finding of the first part of the Center Parcs-OpinionWay barometer “Horizon Nature: Exploring the French’s relationship to nature”, which questioned parents and children aged 6 to 12 about their knowledge of living things. Among adults, the results are hardly more promising: approximately 1 in 2 parents do not recognize it either. What solutions are there to reclaim this ancestral knowledge around nature?
Urban or rural dwellers, the French know little about nature
Nettle, oak, tit and death trumpet: challenged to recognize these very common species in France from a photo, parents and children have difficulty identifying them: 84% give at least one wrong answer! If the majority of parents (68%) and children (58%) recognize a nettle, the correct answers are in the minority for all the other species presented:
- 6 out of 10 children cannot recognize an oak leaf;
- 4 out of 10 parents and 3 out of 10 children succeed in naming a titmouse:
- 34% of them cannot recognize any of the 4 species presented (oak leaf, nettle, tit and death trumpet);
- Both urban and rural dwellers are in difficulty: 86% give at least 1 wrong answer for the 1st, 76% for the 2nd;
- The trumpets of death are identified by 40% of parents and only 15% of children.
Find nature as a playground
By keeping them away from nature and little informed about what they might find there, 3 out of 5 parents are more worried about their children alone in the forest than alone on the Internet! However, 9 out of 10 parents would like to share more knowledge about nature with their children. The latter remain eager for experiences to be had outside since 85% say that they like activities in the great outdoors. So, what solutions? Questioned on the question, 89% of parents consider that it is also the role of the school to transmit knowledge related to nature to children. 76% would also like to have a framework allowing them to pass on this knowledge in a simpler and more fun way.
We interviewed Mélusine Martin, expert in environmental sociology and author of the book “Reconnectez-vous à la Nature” (Éditions Larousse) in a previous article. She recalled “For there to be a communication link with nature, three pillars are essential:
- The cognitive pillar: you can read books, watch videos, documentaries, play games on the theme of the environment and nature;
- The emotional pillar: you can grow a plant, have a pet;
- The behavioral pillar: concrete actions are needed such as recycling or watering the plants.
Simple and easy little things to set up at home. To give you a little help, Doctissimo offers you a selection of books and games about nature for children, the opportunity to (re)discover everything that the Earth has to offer us.