True innate human fears are pretty debatable and are largely far and few between. Knowing this may be of help for some parents and little ones who have learned to fear common but generally harmless things like spiders, worms or slugs. While some backyard encounters warrant a fair amount of caution others needlessly hinder or frighten children. Even at that, learning to calmly avoid things like bees and wasps is probably more useful than allowing a child to make a conditioned panicky retreat that is more likely to get them bitten or stung.
Just as children can be conditioned to fear the creatures in their outdoor play spaces, they can be conditioned and encouraged to explore and have healthy curiosities about the world they live in. With countless natural history and science related toys it's easy to get most children interested in getting some fresh air and learning to be comfortable with less than cuddly creatures. For someone who spends the better part of their day with those little ones it may even mean the difference between pleasant picnics and park outings and being stuck inside for large amounts of the day.
One fun approach might be to have a backyard safari where children are encouraged to find, observe and interact with the living things just beyond their doorstep. Something as simple as a plastic food container can provide hours of entertainment and opportunities for learning. This is also a good way to develop environmental awareness and a healthy respect for living things, especially in terms of setting specimens free after having a good look at them. When children understand things they are not only less fearful but less likely to do things like crush them underfoot and watching a child's natural curiosity take hold is a reward all by itself and can even be a source of pride for parents when their child steps up unafraid to experience all that the natural world has to offer.
By simply getting children outside we not only take steps to stave off our culture's growing disconnection with nature, we may well be starting them off on a path to rewarding leisure activities or even careers in everything from life and earth sciences to conservation and natural resource management.
...there is even the potential for comic relief at watching little girls chase their male counterparts around the yard with worms and slugs.
Even in San Francisco, where backyards are in short supply, opportunities abound. Golden Gate Park and Glen Canyon offer up the feeling of a wilderness outing without the danger and expense of really being "out there" and if you crave animals and critters you can check out the Randall Museum or the California Academy of Sciences where you can interact with nature in familiar and controlled setting to prepare for bigger adventures in the great outdoors.
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