For many, childhood memories are of outdoor play: "baking" mud pies, building forts, climbing trees, playing tag at the park, and constructing sand castles at the beach. Children today spend only half as much time playing outside as their parents did 30 years ago. Childhood is moving indoors, yet research shows that a lack of outdoor play can have serious consequences for children. There are several factors that are influencing this phenomenon. With more cars on the road and speed limits increasing, many parents are reluctant to allow their children to play, walk, or ride bikes on streets or near roadways. Green spaces are also disappearing at an alarming rate, limiting the number of available parks. At the same time, many parents' fear of injury or "stranger danger" means many children don't take advantage of the limited green space available. Finally, kids may opt for "screen time" over play time, and increased participation in organized sports and other extracurriculars means kids don't have as much time for play outdoors. Kids who don't have a lot of unstructured outdoor play are at risk for a range of negative outcomes: (1) Greater risk for unhealthy lifestyles and childhood obesity; (2) Fewer sensory-rich experiences; (3) Higher diagnoses of ADHD-type symptoms; (4) Lower academic performance in school; (5) Less empathy for plants and animals; (6) More apathetic/destructive attitude toward others; (7) Lower self-confidence; (8) Less independence;and (9) Diminished creativity. The good news is that many of these can be reversed or restored by spending time outdoors! The benefits of outdoor experiences, although important for all children, can help nurture gifted children in many ways. One of the most important things parents can do is model the desire to be outdoors, get their hands dirty, and share the enjoyment of the natural world. Prioritizing time in nature makes sense on a total development level for all children. So much so that some advocates are now calling regular time in nature a right that should not be denied.