When moving from Big Sur to Oakland, I noticed marked differences in children's physical development and emotional regulation. After researching the subject I found that underdeveloped proprioceptive systems from growing up in a city was part of what I was seeing. Forest school offers opportunities for sensory stimulation and proprioceptive development that children need.
Early Ecology Forest School parent, Dr. Kacie Flegal wrote a great article about the benefits of bare feet for the healthy development of children's proprioceptive systems. Here is an except from Barefoot Babies:
Proproioception—noun (physiology) Perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body.
“There is nothing more wondrous in life than watching with awe as babies begin to learn and explore the world in which they live. With innocent joy and excitement, the newness they experience allows for a profound connection within their surroundings and within themselves.
Early Ecology Forest School, Oakland, CA / courtesy of Joanna Ferraro
The sensory system is the primary system that sets the foundation for higher brain centers to grow upon. We are familiar with the five basic senses: touch, taste, vision, hearing, and smell. It is through these basic pathways that babies create neurological connections and the perception of life outside of the womb.
Two equally important sensory systems, which aren’t as commonly recognized, begin to take on a dominant role as babies begin to coordinate movements and have greater interactions with the world. These two systems are known as the proprioceptive system and the vestibular system.
Proprioception is the ability to perceive the motion and position of our bodies in space and is generated by receptors located within joints, connective tissue, and muscles of the body. When activated by pressure and movement, proprioceptors send direct signaling to the brain telling it where the body is oriented.
The vestibular system is the creation of balance and coordination as changes in center of gravity, posture and head position shift. As babies gain awareness through the five primary senses, they begin generating deliberate movements and gradually learn to hold up their head, roll over, sit up, start crawling and eventually start walking.
Berkeley Forest School, Berkeley, CA / courtesy of Liana Chavarin
Encouraging enjoyable activities that stimulate the basic senses is of course important, yet we may underestimate the value supporting proprioceptive and vestibular activities as well. One of the simplest ways to motivate proprioceptive and vestibular development is to let our babies be barefoot as much as possible!
Feet are one of the most sensory-rich parts of the human body. The soles of the feet are extremely sensitive to touch, and there are large concentrations of proprioceptors in the joints and muscles of the feet. In fact, the feet alone have as many proprioceptors as the entire spinal column!”
Story from Early Ecology Forest School, as told by Founding Director Joanna Ferraro, including excerpt from Dr. Kacie Flegal, DC
Oakland, CA