Research

Research affirms the importance of time spent in the natural environment

Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv 2005, updated in 2008, was the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults.

As noted in Learning from Indigenous Perspectives: Wellbeing in the Early Years, including an “Indigenous perspective on Land-Based learning offer alternative ways to promote children’s wellbeing, and the wellbeing of educators, through learning with and from traditional teachings.” Read more about this three-year qualitative research study here.

A young child’s exposure to nature can be both guided and that of unstructured outdoor play or free-play. However, being child-directed is key – whether it is time for free-play or time for inquiry-based activities in the outdoors.

The benefits of outdoor play are well documented. Visit this page from Children and Nature Network, Kids need to be outside, for reports and studies revealing evidence and documentation of the many benefits of connecting children and nature. Another good place to find information would be the Natural Start Alliance.

A child’s connection to nature can be strengthened by increasing direct contact with nature, viewing nature out the window, or even reading books (or having books read to them) about nature. Read more about the effects of exposure and connection to nature in this research article.

Time in nature may be widely effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD and anxiety/trauma. Evidence reviewed is suggestive for a protective association of greenspace exposure against challenging behavior in children. Some studies reviewed looked at the greenness in the child’s neighborhood and others looked at the greenness surrounding the child’s school. While more longitudinal research needs to be done, the studies reviewed found that children living in greener neighborhoods had better spatial working memory and intelligence scores, higher academic performance, plus fewer behavioral and emotional problems. The research did show that a greater quantity and quality around the home address predicted better child well-being. Download and read the research article here.

It is especially important for schools and other community programs to involve nature experience, since significant proportions of U.S. children do not have easy access to parks or other green spaces.  There are also major discrepancies in this access that correlate to economic and racial demographics. Read this report that explores the role of green space mitigating childhood opportunity.

The National Wildlife Federation in their Connect Kids & Nature campaign discusses the health benefits of connecting children with nature. The bottom of this page lists several research papers and books to support this effort.

Read this place-based learning article on Edutopia, Using Nature to Introduce Math in Preschool. Linked in this article are research reports about the benefits of learning in nature. Please note the article mentions sourcing natural materials, including feathers that can be collected. Note that the vast majority of wild bird feathers are not appropriate for collection – see this YouTube video “I Found a Feather- Can I Keep It? How the Migratory Bird Treat Act of 1918 Protects Birds Today” and this webpage, Collecting bird feathers in the United States – legality and alternatives.

Those in the environmental education field already understood the benefits of repeated exposure to the natural environment to school children plus classroom educators and volunteers.

Early childhood education and environmental education are both built on the premise of how children best learn – by directly interacting (doing) with their environment rather than being a passive (watching and listening) learner. Dr. Wilson notes, “Teachers in a child-centered program focus on the child’s interests and capitalize on the “teachable moments” that occur frequently throughout the day.”

Ruth Wilson’s work in early childhood education and nature-based play spans decades, she continues her work as an educational consultant and curriculum writer while serving as the research library curator for the Children and Nature Network. One of Wilson’s latest books discusses the idea that nature is a necessity regardless of your abilities! Read about  her new book “Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors” in this May 2023 post on the Children and Nature Network! See also this article reprint from 1999: What Can I Teach My Young Children About the Environment? RA Wilson,

Children need to get outside and KinderNature gives early childhood and informal educators, parents, and preschools the ideas to get children outside and to bring the natural world inside. The benefits are numerous and are backed by many recent research sources.

Download these handy resources for sharing with other teachers, staff, administrators, and parents!

Additional research: