Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 375 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-15 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Sustainability |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 2 Jan 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2020 |
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Keywords
- nature connection
- early childhood
- wellbeing
- forest school
- nursery
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Nature Connection in Early Childhood : A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study. / Barrable, Alexia (Lead / Corresponding author); Booth, David.
In: Sustainability, Vol. 12, No. 1, 375, 01.2020, p. 1-15.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Nature Connection in Early Childhood
T2 - A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study
AU - Barrable, Alexia
AU - Booth, David
PY - 2020/1
Y1 - 2020/1
N2 - There have been calls to reconnect children with nature, both for their own wellbeing, as well as for ecological sustainability. This has driven the growth of outdoor and nature-schools for all ages, but especially in the early childhood education sector. However, to date, there has not been a quantitative study that looks at whether these settings actually promote nature connection. This paper aims to examine the role of nature nurseries in the promotion of connection to nature, when compared to traditional nurseries. Data were collected on the nature connection, using the Connection to Nature Index for Parents of Preschool Children, of 216 children aged 1–8 years, 132 of whom attended nature nurseries while the rest attended traditional nurseries. Duration and frequency of attendance, sex, and parental nature connection were also reported. Statistical analyses were conducted for overall nature connection scores, individual dimension sub-scores and, for the children who attended nature nursery, against predictors. Results indicate that attending a nature nursery is associated with higher nature connection. Predictors for children’s connection to nature were parental nature connection, and total time spent in attendance of an outdoor nursery. This suggests a dose-response style relationship between attendance and nature connection. Implications for real-life applications are put forward and further research directions are explored.
AB - There have been calls to reconnect children with nature, both for their own wellbeing, as well as for ecological sustainability. This has driven the growth of outdoor and nature-schools for all ages, but especially in the early childhood education sector. However, to date, there has not been a quantitative study that looks at whether these settings actually promote nature connection. This paper aims to examine the role of nature nurseries in the promotion of connection to nature, when compared to traditional nurseries. Data were collected on the nature connection, using the Connection to Nature Index for Parents of Preschool Children, of 216 children aged 1–8 years, 132 of whom attended nature nurseries while the rest attended traditional nurseries. Duration and frequency of attendance, sex, and parental nature connection were also reported. Statistical analyses were conducted for overall nature connection scores, individual dimension sub-scores and, for the children who attended nature nursery, against predictors. Results indicate that attending a nature nursery is associated with higher nature connection. Predictors for children’s connection to nature were parental nature connection, and total time spent in attendance of an outdoor nursery. This suggests a dose-response style relationship between attendance and nature connection. Implications for real-life applications are put forward and further research directions are explored.
KW - nature connection
KW - early childhood
KW - wellbeing
KW - forest school
KW - nursery
U2 - 10.3390/su12010375
DO - 10.3390/su12010375
M3 - Article
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
SN - 2071-1050
IS - 1
M1 - 375
ER -