This text is part of the special Social Economy section
More than half of humans now grow up and live in urban areas. If children spend more time in front of screens, they find themselves disconnected from nature and its benefits. Sylvie Gervais doesn’t see it that way. In 2015, she founded the Enfant nature cooperative in Shawinigan, whose pedagogy is focused on the overall development of children through exploration and immersion in Quebec green spaces.
Jumping in a puddle, walking barefoot in the grass, playing with the wind, marveling at being part of a fabulous animal, plant and mineral world and learning thanks to it: Sylvie Gervais made this dream come true a true model of education. “The Nature Child pedagogy is based on the animals of Quebec, with stories allowing us to better understand nature and experience it fully,” she says. It is by creating an intimate, direct and emotional bond very early on with the environment that we can better protect it. »
The children of 0 to 6 years old thus develop their human qualities and their motor skills, that is to say their ability to move and exercise their balance, by freely exploring and mimicking animals. Mathematics, among other things, can be integrated into nature education. “In an outdoor context, we see that children learn differently, they are calm and more attentive,” continues Sylvie Gervais. Those who experience great difficulties on the inside often become excellent leaders on the outside. »
Science has indeed shown that frequent exposure to nature reduces stress, the risk of mental illness in adulthood and medication for children diagnosed with an attention disorder. The outdoors calms the body and mind by promoting the production of endorphins and dopamine, the hormones of pleasure and good humor. Finally, moving in nature strengthens the immune system, and improves thinking and communication skills.
The nature deficit
Sylvie Gervais quickly saw the urgency of acting for children’s health. Between 1996 and 2016, the proportion of Quebec children aged 0 to 5 living in urban areas increased from 77.6% to 82.1%, according to the Institute of Statistics of Quebec (ISQ). At the same time, the number of diagnoses of ADHD and anxiety disorders has also increased exponentially. Already having a master’s degree in education, she decided to return to university in 2014 to explore the relationship between nature and early childhood.
In her research, she came across the book by Richard Louv, Last child in the woods, which documents the “nature deficit” in American society, or the reduction in children’s exposure to nature. Deputy editor of the newspaper The Press, François Cardinal, has also published a work on the same phenomenon on a Quebec scale. “The good news is that there are solutions, such as daycares and forest schools in Scandinavian countries,” says Sylvie Gervais, who believes she had the chance to grow up in the open air thanks to “parents extraordinary.”
In partnership with the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières (UQTR), she then founded the Enfant Nature Solidarity Cooperative, recognized in the social economy since it responded to an urgent societal need. She trained in Scotland in particular with Claire Warden, creator of nature pedagogy, an approach that she adapts to the cultural, natural and political specificities of Quebec. In 2017, the cooperative began training daycare educators and teachers in this model.
Learn from the little ones
Today, Enfant Nature offers several training courses, including one specializing in speech therapy intervention, for children experiencing various language problems. The organization also developed the Nature Parent Child Kit, in partnership with the City of Shawinigan, to make its teaching approach accessible to Quebec families. An interactive terminal will also be installed in the parks next spring, including new stories and songs in podcast format.
“Teachers and parents also benefit from this approach,” observes the founder. We can learn a lot by contemplating the presence and gratitude of little ones in nature. » Gentleness and humility emanate from the voice of Sylvie Gervais, who did not have children by choosing to experience motherhood differently. This passionate person is proud of the work accomplished by her team and admires the dedication of the teachers and educators.
“Today, the approach is understood by many people and more and more children benefit from it, this gives me a lot of strength and vision,” she concludes. Rather than rationalizing it, dissociating ourselves from it and domesticating it, having a sensitive and free experience with nature from an early age could well be the key to a more sustainable and harmonious future.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.