WORLD OF WONDER
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” ~Rachel Carson, naturalist and author
Mission Statement: World of Wonder (WOW) is a free nature discovery program for children with their families – an opportunity for them to explore, discover, and enjoy the wonders of the natural world together. This year-round program has 2 prongs:
WOW is a collaboration between Davidson Lands Conservancy and Woodland Discovery, an educational nonprofit.
WOW was begun in 2010 in response to the growing concern that too few children spend time outdoors experiencing the natural world first-hand, often referred to as nature deficit. They are disconnected from the natural world. The reasons are many: electronic media, crime, and safety concerns, lack of information and experience with nature, and overscheduled children and parents. The consequences are far reaching. A growing body of research suggests that nature deficit is associated with childhood obesity, childhood diabetes, behavior disorders, short attention spans, sensory disorders, stress, anxiety, depression, and aggression.
On the positive side, research indicates that experiencing the outdoor world improves children’s cognitive development, creativity, attention span, academic achievement, and gives them an increased sense of well-being, place, and community.
WOW addresses another need. Families need shared experiences that build strong relationships. Many parents long to share the natural world with their children, but fear they know too little of where to go, what to see, and what it is they’re seeing. WOW provides the framework for families to share in discovering the natural world together, providing them with shared experiences that they can build on in the future.
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