Outdoor play and nature-based activities can help buffer some of the harm the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of adolescents, a new study suggests.
Researchers say the findings point to outdoor play and nature-based activities as a tool to help teenagers cope with major stressors like the pandemic, as well as future natural disasters and other global stressors. They also underscore the mental health implications of restricting outdoor recreation opportunities for adolescents, and the need to increase access to the outdoors.
