Children, Nature, and IQ

A new study of more than 600 children, conducted by a university in Belgium, found that the more exposure children have to “green spaces,” the higher their IQ (Euronews.com, August 24, 2020). Researchers discovered that “a three per cent increase in the greenness of a child’s neighbourhood raised their IQ score by 2.6 points on average.”

The researchers also looked at children across all socioeconomic levels (education and income) and found that, no matter their background, their IQs rose as they had more exposure to green spaces with bushes and trees. That means “that the relationship between nature and cognitive development is not solely related to the child’s upbringing and financial status.” While the researchers still do not understand all the mechanisms behind their findings, they speculate that “children who live in greener spaces have lower stress levels, experience less noise pollution and have more opportunities for social play.”

Regardless of the reasons behind the findings, these modern researchers have apparently stumbled across something God has understood for a long time. In the beginning, God placed the first family, not in a desert or a city, but in a garden (Genesis 2:8–9). Bible prophecies about God’s coming Kingdom on the earth make clear that people will live on their own land and be able to sit under their own trees (Micah 4:2–4). This will be a time when springs pour forth from the desert, making it lush and causing it to blossom “as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1). When Jesus begins His reign on earth, He will initiate many changes that will positively impact child development and IQ—and adding green spaces will be one of them! To learn more about this awesome future time, read or listen to The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?