Cincinnati Children’s recently announced a new green space featuring a greenhouse garden area, enhanced playground, splash pad, labyrinth, and sports field and court.
According to Spectrum News 1, the new outdoor area aims to foster movement, mindfulness, and emotional well-being for young people receiving inpatient and residential mental health treatment at the facility.
“It’s not just a place to play — it’s a place to heal, grow, and feel joy,” Dr. Laurel Leslie, director of Cincinnati Children’s Mental and Behavioral Health Institute, said in a statement. “This project is something that will make a real difference in their lives.”
Spending time in nature has proven benefits for mental and physical well-being, including reduced stress and anxiety, and improved immune function. For instance, one recent study found that spending just 10 minutes in nature can help adults with mental illness. Another investigation discovered that children who lived in neighborhoods with more green spaces were at reduced risk for mental disorders later in life.
Access to green spaces can be particularly beneficial for children’s optimal development, according to a paper from UNICEF.
“The scientifically proven advantages to children’s physical, mental and social development, provided by such spaces, are real and multifold,” the paper concludes. “Local communities and institutions as well as municipal and national governments are called on to recognize green spaces as valuable assets in their cities and to ensure their preservation, improvement, creation and maintenance.”
Cincinnati Children’s isn’t the only hospital that has prioritized adding green spaces for patients in recent years. For instance, “wellbeing gardens” are popping up in hospitals across the United Kingdom, offering a mental boost for patients, visitors, and staff.
In addition to their mental health benefits, green spaces throughout our communities are also invaluable in providing clean air, shade, and carbon storage services.
“In a time of increasing urbanization, the consideration of green spaces grows in importance,” says Sustainable Earth, a collaborative team of students, staff, and faculty at Arizona State University. “Green spaces provide numerous benefits such as improved air quality, reduced heat island effect, improved mental and physical health, and increased biodiversity.”
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