The Value of Getting Outside in a Digital World
By Liam Maher
FOR today’s young people, the world can sometimes feel as though it exists inside a screen. Social media, streaming, gaming and smart-phones have become an everyday part of growing up, offering entertainment, communication and seemingly endless opportunities to connect.
But as digital experiences become increasingly dominant, the value of something much simpler is becoming clearer: getting outside and experiencing the real world.
Outdoor activity offers something that a screen cannot replicate. Whether it is playing sport, walking, cycling, exploring the countryside, taking part in an outdoor education programme or simply spending time with friends in a park, these experiences engage young people physically, socially and mentally.
The World Health Organization recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 should undertake an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Physical activity is associated not only with physical health, but with cognitive development, psychological wellbeing, social integration and academic performance.
Physical, cognitive and mental health
There is also growing interest in the relationship between young people and the natural environment. Reviews of existing research have found positive associations between contact with nature and children’s physical, cognitive and mental health.
Research into outdoor experiences has also identified potential benefits for areas such as self-esteem, resilience and social development.
Perhaps equally important, however, is what happens away from the phone.
Outdoor experiences allow young people to encounter situations that cannot be perfectly controlled or predicted. A muddy football pitch, a challenging hike, a cycle with friends or a day spent exploring can involve problem-solving, cooperation, persistence and occasionally failure. These are valuable experiences because they help young people develop confidence through doing, rather than simply consuming.
This matters at a time when social media is an increasingly significant part of teenage life. The US Surgeon General has reported that social media use among young people is almost universal, with many teenagers using platforms every day and a significant proportion describing their use as almost constant.
The concern is not that every online experience is harmful – social media can provide genuine connection and positive communities – but that digital interaction should not become a substitute for real-world experience.
Experience both worlds
The answer is not to reject technology. Digital skills are an essential part of modern education and employment. Instead, young people need opportunities to experience both worlds.
Schools, colleges, families and communities all have a role to play in creating those opportunities. Outdoor education, sport, volunteering, walking groups, field trips, adventure activities and simply making time to be outside can provide valuable alternatives to another hour spent looking at a screen.
In an increasingly connected digital world, there is something powerful about disconnecting for a while.
Getting outside reminds young people that the world is not only something to watch, scroll through or interact with online. It is somewhere to explore, participate in, challenge themselves and share experiences with other people.
Sometimes, the most valuable connection is the one that happens away from the screen.