Nature & Development

Resources

Learn More & Take Action

Whether you're an educator, a parent, or just curious, these resources can help you understand and apply the ideas behind nature-based learning.

Key Research Sources

Journal Article

Nature-Based Early Childhood Education and Children's Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development

A mixed-methods systematic review covering how nature-based early childhood education shapes development across multiple domains.

Johnstone et al. (2022) — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Journal Article

Choose Your Own Adventure: Promoting Social and Emotional Development through Outdoor Learning

Examines educators' perspectives on how outdoor learning supports social-emotional skills including self-awareness and emotional well-being.

Molyneux et al. (2022) — Early Childhood Education Journal

Journal Article

Exploring the Effects of a Short-Term, Nature-Based Preschool Experience

A mixed-methods investigation showing how even a brief nature-based preschool program can create measurable improvements in children's social-emotional skills.

Scogin et al. (2023) — Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education

Journal Article

Planting the Seeds for Nature-Based Learning

Looks at the Farm Sprouts program and how farm and nature-based early childhood settings impacted children's cognitive, language, and social skills.

Rymanowicz, Hetherington & Larm (2020) — International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education

Journal Article

Pedagogical Documentation as a Curriculum Tool

A look at how educators in Singapore used documentation tools to make children's outdoor learning visible and meaningful in a childcare setting.

Tan & Yang (2022) — European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

Theory

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

The foundational theory for this study. Understanding this framework helps explain why the environments children spend time in, including outdoor spaces, shape who they become.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979) — The Ecology of Human Development, Harvard University Press

Ideas for Educators & Parents

Embrace All Weather: Rain, mud, wind — different weather teaches children different things and allows them to feel different ways. A rainy outdoor session builds resilience, not to mention a child's love for puddles rain creates.

2. Bring in Loose Parts: Sticks, rocks, leaves, pinecones — unstructured natural materials invite collaborative, imaginative play. Let children decide what these materials become and how to enage with them.

3. Ask Open Questions: Try: "What do you notice?" or "I wonder why that happens?" or "How do you feel?". These questions build inquiry skills and shows children that their observations matter.

4. Document What You See: Take photos or write notes about what children do and say outdoors. This makes learning visible and helps inform future planning regarding interests.

5. Start Small: A garden box, a patch of grass, or a windowsill garden can create a meaningful starting point for nature connection and experiences.

6. Advocate for Change: Share research like this with other educators, parents, administrators and policymakers. Evidence-based advocacy is how curriculum change happens.

"Providing more varied and dynamic affordances in nature-based early childhood education compared to traditional settings may facilitate children engaging in a broader range of play types — and these are integral to social and emotional development."

— Johnstone et al., 2022, p.2

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