Playing in rivers, lakes or the sea in childhood can improve mental health, study says

The benefits of contact with parks and other green spaces in childhood for relaxation and well-being are already well known. Now, a study carried out in 18 countries has set out to assess whether the same is true of those children who often play in natural aquatic spaces — such as the sea, rivers and lakes.

The research, based on data from more than 15,000 people, found that adults who had more positive memories of having swam in “blue spaces” as children tended to visit these environments more often after they grew up, which in turn time is associated with greater mental well-being.

The work was coordinated by the European Center for the Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter, England, and published in the scientific journal Journal of Environmental Psychology.

The data came from a survey called the Blue Health International Survey, which collected data from thousands of people in 14 European countries, as well as Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and the US.

Respondents were asked to recall their experiences in “blue spaces” between the ages of 0 and 16, including how often they visited and how comfortable their parents were with them playing in these environments. They also answered questions about recent contacts with this type of natural space and about their mental health.

According to the researchers, in an increasingly technological and industrialized world, it is important to understand how childhood experiences in nature relate to well-being in adulthood.

“Building familiarity and trust with blue spaces in childhood can stimulate a joy and a greater propensity to spend recreational time in nature in adulthood, with positive consequences for adult subjective well-being,” the study authors conclude.