Why children need to listen to Nature Sounds?
The Earth has music for those who listen.” George Santayana – poet, philosopher, naturalist.
Nature has something to tell our children. Let them listen. Whether it is the calming sounds of waves while they play in sand or the rustling of leaves under their feet while walking in the woods, or the splattering of rain drops against the window. These sounds can relax their souls. For several years researchers have been studying why nature has such calming effect on us.
Children are all sense organs
Senses are heighten in children than in adults. Ask children to close their eyes and then ask them what do they hear?
Cars on the street?
Construction work?
Phone vibrating?
Vacuum cleaner?
Air conditioner?
These noises seem to have become a part of our daily lives as an ongoing background score to an extent that
we have forgotten what it feels like to experience complete silence.It seems that we have got so used to the cacophony of our modern noises that even if such silence is available we may still be wary of it and may feel lonely without these sounds and some of us may actually need some white noise to keep us focused on a task.
However to the contrast of our habits, studies have repeatedly shown that adults and children alike prefer natural sounds. There are several studies that prove that we feel relaxed when we hear nature sounds. It reduces our stress levels and increases endorphins. We feel calm when we are listening to falling rain, a rushing stream, birds chirping or the rustling sound of the leaves as the wind blows.
The researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School conducted a research where they looked at human brains while the participants listened to nature sounds and man-made sounds. When the participants listened to natural sounds their attention turned outward and they were in a rest and recover mode and when the participants listened to human-made sounds their attention was more inward and this is a similar feeling that we experience when we are in a fight or flight mode.
“Heaven is under our feet as well as our heads”– Henry David Thoreau
Calming effects of Nature on children
Nature sounds is a precious resource for our children. Children will become true listeners of their enviornment if they are introduced to the natural world. Listening to sounds from nature can calm children and transport them to a place that nourishes their souls.
Here are 3 amazing benefits of nature sounds that I experienced:
1) Improves Sleep
Research says that nature sounds can help us sleep better. Nature sounds heal our souls. Children can drift off to sleep while listening to these soothing sounds. When children listen to nature sounds, their brains react to the sound with relaxed breathing, slowed heart rate and a more peaceful feeling . From sounds of ocean waves to rhythmic rain fall, chirping birds and forest sounds, all these beautiful sounds send certain kinds of emotions through us and these emotions are the positive and calming kind of emotions that help children drift off to sleep peacefully.
2) Reduces anxiety
It had been several years ago that I had purchased an audio that had ocean sounds. It had sounds of crashing waves and sea gulls. I would use this audio to fall asleep or just as a calming background sound at home after I came back from work. It would be quite difficult to get the work related thoughts out of my head even after I reached home and this audio of ocean sounds was like flipping a switch to an anxiety-free mode. Just a few minutes into listening to the ocean sounds made me feel at ease after a long tiring day at work.
3) Better focus
I had not used my usual ocean waves soundscape for a while until recently I came across a similar audio that had mountain and lake sounds. I had switched it on at home for myself while I was busy with some work and children were eating their breakfast. Suprisingly enough my children were drawn into these nature sounds and I could sense how the energy in the room suddenly changed to a quite and peacful mode. While I worked at my task, children were quite through out and were more focused on what they were doing. I could see that there was a clear difference in their behaviour until several minutes later.
Making nature our weekly habit with kids.
Even if we download apps that play these soothing nature sounds and give a mood boost to our children, there is no app that can replace the feeling of being in the midst of nature itself. The way nature caters to all our senses will have a profound effect on children’s overall well being. If it is within our means to travel, to the nearest nature trail in our city and plan a nature sound immersion even for a couple of hours a week, it may give the endorphin boost our the kids need and it may have lasting impact on all their senses all week long.
The sight of emerald coloured rolling carpeted earth, surrounded by peaceful forest sounds will calm their senses. Imagine what this walk in the forest would do to our children when they get to experience the nature sounds that are as deep as the trees are tall. If we want to raise individuals who protect nature and our planet, we need to take them close to nature and let them experience it through all their senses while they are still young.
Take a sound walk.
Taking a sound walk with children would be an easy and interesting activity. Just get out with kids and listen. If you go for a walk in the park and purposefully try to listen to all the little sounds that you hear, the birds, the wind, the water. Try to see the nature with your ears.
There will be so much more that you can listen and if you have visited a familiar park, kids will now hear sounds that they had not previous noticed and your experience will be that much more meaningful.
Bring nature sounds into the home
It is best if could get outside with your children on a regular basis and transport them straight amidst nature but there is an alternative to those of us who are not able to get to the outdoors as often as we would have liked. Playing nature sounds in the background while at home can have a great impact as well. Especially after children are back from school.
If children are doing school online or homeschooling during the current pandemic then this is infact a great option to cope with this new change for both parents and kids. You could play nature sounds in the background while children are working on individual projects.
Play a sound detective game
Though in the midst of this pandemic it may be difficult to get an ideal amount of time outside. But even when kids are at home let them experience the sounds of nature on purpose, when a bird is chirping sitting at the window, when the wind blows through your window let them just close their eyes and not just feel but also listen to the wind. Let them mindfully observe he raindrops and be immersed in the rhythmic pitter patter.
Make it a game for them to note the several nature sounds they heard that day and you soon see that they become experts at hunting for nature sounds even amidst the city cacophony. Kids are somehow experts at this than us. Improved attention levels may be just the right kind of side effect you can hope for from this nature sound hunt game while at home.
I hope this post inspires you all to make nature sounds a regular part of your childrens lives. Play nature sounds on an audio at home or better yet get them out to listen to these sounds in the natural setting and watch them become as calm and composed as nature itself.
Here are some resources for a regular dose of soundscape ecology for both kids and adults
(our resources do not have any affiliate links)
Soundscape ecology
Bernie Krause, a soundscape ecologist. In 1968, he founded Wild Sanctuary, an organization dedicated to the recording and archiving of natural soundscapes
This is his collection https://wildstore.wildsanctuary.com
Books for toddlers and young kids with Nature Sounds
