Syaza Soraya
While technology undoubtedly offers educational and recreational benefits, balancing screen time with green time is crucial.
By emphasising the importance of nature, we can help children develop the skills and traits necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world, said Syaza Soraya Sauli, last year’s Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment recipient.
The award offered Malaysians between the ages of 22 and 35 an opportunity to engage in short-term collaborative projects with international institutions in various disciplines.
“Nature immersion is not merely a break from the digital world; it is a vital component in the holistic development of children.
“Exposure to natural environments from a young age fosters resilience and encourages healthy risk-taking behaviours, essential skills for navigating the complexities of life,” said Syaza Soraya who recently completed her posting to the University of Minnesota Duluth, United States, under the Merdeka Award Grant.
Rather than a total ban on gadget use, she suggested balancing screen time and outdoor play instead.
“Excessive screen time has been linked to a range of issues, including reduced physical activity, poor sleep, and impaired social skills.
“In contrast, green time promotes physical health, emotional well-being and social interaction.
“Instead of letting children experience the world through their fingertips, parents can get together to organise play dates during weekends for children to play outdoors without the distraction of technology,” Syaza, who is currently pursuing her PhD in educational psychology, offered.
Nature, she pointed out, is cost-effective. And, when children play together outdoors, they learn to explore and become inquisitive while improving their interpersonal and negotiating skills.
“When learning to climb a tree, for example, they will get to know their body better. Deciding where to grip and where to place their foot are part of the decision-making and healthy risk-taking process that challenges children within safe boundaries, helping them learn their limits and the consequences of their actions, while building courage. “Nature also presents children with a variety of unpredictable elements such as the changing weather, diverse terrain, and encounters with wildlife, which require adaptive responses and encourage problem-solving skills and creativity,” she said, adding that these are crucial skills for personal and academic success.
Unfortunately, children nowadays are “bubble wrapped” with adults becoming even more reluctant to allow them to play outdoors, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic and with reports of missing children flooding social media, she lamented.
Parents and educators play a pivotal role in encouraging nature immersion, she said.
“Creating opportunities for outdoor activities, such as family hikes, school gardening projects, nature-based field trips to places like Zoo Negara or nearby farms, or even unstructured nature play time after school, is a way to integrate green time into children’s daily routines.
“Policy-makers and communities can also support this balance by ensuring access to parks, playgrounds and natural reserves,” she said, adding that integrating nature-based learning into the educational curriculum can enrich academic experiences.
Subjects like science, mathematics, language, and even art can be taught through hands-on interaction with the natural world, making learning more engaging and impactful than theoretical knowledge gained from screens.
