Examining family-based nature activities among Latinx students: contexts for reinforcing family relationships and cultural heritage

ABSTRACT

There is a strong need to conduct research and inform practice related to increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the leisure field (Floyd and Stodolska [2019]. “Scholarship on Race and Ethnicity: Assessing Contributions to Leisure Theory and Practice.” Journal of Park and Recreation Administration 37 (1): 80–94). Using a routines and rituals framework, we explored how and why Latinx families spend time together outside. We collected qualitative data via an online questionnaire from 134 Latinx students from an urban, west coast university. Findings showed participants engaged in a variety of outdoor family traditions from routine walks, bike rides, and backyard activities to longer ritualized adventures in parks, beaches, and natural areas that reinforced family relationships and cultural heritage. Engagement in family-based nature activities provided opportunities to strengthen relationships, communicate meaningfully, and spend quality time together, given fewer technological distractions outdoors. Participants suggested focusing on improving existing outdoor spaces and community facilities, implementing more family-based community events, and creating educational campaigns to promote participation in outdoor activities.

KEYWORDS:

• Natural environment
• outdoor recreation
• family leisure
• Latinx
• race/ethnicity
• family-based nature activities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 We purposefully use the term ‘Latinx’ over ‘Latina/o’ throughout the manuscript in order to be more inclusive with respect to gender and sexual diversity. This is a gender-neutral term increasingly used in academia in recognition of nonbinary students (Cardemil, Millán, and Aranda 2019). Therefore, we use the term Latinx unless we are directly quoting our participants or citing terminology that other researchers used, in order to maintain the veracity of the original study findings.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dina Izenstark

Dr. Dina Izenstark is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at San José State University, where her work has focused on the benefits of the natural environment for children and families.

Kimberly A. Crossman

Dr. Kimberly A. Crossman is an Associate Professor in Human Development and Family Science at California State University, Monterey Bay.

Ellen Middaugh

Dr. Ellen Middaugh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at at San José State University.