How learning gardens foster well-being and development through the promotion of purposeful play in early childhood and beyond

Encouraging play in school gardens may support a state of well-being that is optimal for learning

Pope, E., Marston, S. A., Thompson, M., Larson, S., (2023). How learning gardens foster well-being and development through the promotion of purposeful play in early childhood and beyond. Theory into Practice, 62(2), 193-204.

From seeds to harvest in seven weeks: Project-based learning with Latina girls and their parents

Family-centered, culturally responsive garden-based learning supports Latina girls’ engagement and science identity development

Rillero, P., Jiménez-Silva, M., Short-Meyerson, K., Rillero, K. M., (2025). From seeds to harvest in seven weeks: Project-based learning with Latina girls and their parents. Education Sciences, 15(246)

Fostering diversity and participation with school gardens: Examining possibilities and challenges under different national educational policies

Physical and sensory dimensions of school gardens may reduce barriers to participation and engagement

Carvalho, A. E., Blanc, S., Aguiar, M., Torres, A. C., (2024). Fostering diversity and participation with school gardens: Examining possibilities and challenges under different national educational policies. Educational Process, 13(2), 122-138.

“We are all interconnected.”: Relationships and hierarchies among preschool teachers’ conceptions of early childhood education for sustainability

Pre-school teachers connect sustainability in education to the care and protection of our world

Navarrete, A. M. L., (2025). “We are all interconnected.”: Relationships and hierarchies among preschool teachers’ conceptions of early childhood education for sustainability. Journal of Early Childhood Research

Wilding pedagogies: Impact of an in-service teacher training in Greece with nature as co-teacher

Greek teachers shift toward ecocentric environmental education through wild pedagogical teacher training

Theodosaki, Z., Georgopoulos, A., Gavrilakis, C., (2025). Wilding pedagogies: Impact of an in-service teacher training in Greece with nature as co-teacher. Australian Journal of Environmental Education

The benefits of school recess: A Systematic Review

School recess supports an array of academic, cognitive, behavior and emotional, physical health, and social well-being benefits

Hodges, V. C., Centeio, E. E., Morgan, C. F., (2022). The benefits of school recess: A Systematic Review. Journal of School Health, 92(10), 959-967.

Engaging youth in public lands monitoring: opportunities for enhancing ecological literacy and environmental stewardship

Youth in different citizen science programs manifest scientific understanding and environmental stewardship differently

Pitt, A. N., Schultz, C. A., Vaske, J. J., (2019). Engaging youth in public lands monitoring: opportunities for enhancing ecological literacy and environmental stewardship. Environmental Education Research, 1386-1399 .

Differential effects of an urban outdoor environment on 4–5 year old children’s attention in school

Holding classes outdoors, even in urban settings, may support the attentional capacity of socio-economically disadvantaged children

Atkinson, M., Goldenberg, G., Dubiel, J., Wass, S., (2025). Differential effects of an urban outdoor environment on 4–5 year old children’s attention in school. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 104

Leveling the Playing Field: Opportunities for School Recess to Promote Wellness and Reduce Disparities in Elementary School Children

Students in lower-income communities tend to have less daily recess and are at greater risk of having recess withheld

Konduru, D., Lowrey, K. M., Hager, E. R., (2025). Leveling the Playing Field: Opportunities for School Recess to Promote Wellness and Reduce Disparities in Elementary School Children. American Journal of Health Promotion

School-based outdoor education and teacher subjective well-being: An exploratory study

School-based outdoor education is positively related to teachers’ subjective well-being

Deschamps, A., Scrutton, R., Ayotte-Beaudet, J., (2022). School-based outdoor education and teacher subjective well-being: An exploratory study. Frontiers, 7

Discussing mental health benefits for teachers participating in outdoor education in Canada: a conceptual analysis and future research directions

Outdoor education contributes to educators’ mental health, professional development, and self-care

Barker, C., Chisholm, N., Foran, A., (2024). Discussing mental health benefits for teachers participating in outdoor education in Canada: a conceptual analysis and future research directions. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

A systematic review of the impacts of nature exposure on the nervous system in children and youth: Implications for nature-based learning

Exposure to nature promotes a state of relaxed alertness, improved attentional processing, and optimal cognitive resource allocation for children and adolescents

Quintela Do Carmo, G., Ayotte-Beaudet, J., Jordan, C., (2025). A systematic review of the impacts of nature exposure on the nervous system in children and youth: Implications for nature-based learning. Journal of Environmental Psychology

Effect of nature on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents: meta-review

Meta-review highlights the need for high-quality research to strengthen the evidence of nature’s impact on mental health and well-being

Lomax, T., Butler, J., Cirpriani, A., Singh, I., (2024). Effect of nature on the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents: meta-review. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 225, 401–409.

‘Can we see our voices?’ Young children’s own contributions to authentic child participation as a pillar for sustainability under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

A child rights-based participatory approach to climate education should support children’s authentic and meaningful participation

Ranta, M., (2023). ‘Can we see our voices?’ Young children’s own contributions to authentic child participation as a pillar for sustainability under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(6), 914-931.

Wild pedagogies and young children through the mosaic approach

Wild pedagogies supported children’s agency and relationships with place

Beattie, E. A., Scott, S., Adler, D., (2025). Wild pedagogies and young children through the mosaic approach. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 41, 249–260.

In search of eco-democracy: Education for mutually beneficial flourishing

Eco-democracy in environmental education could contribute to mutually beneficial flourishing

Blenkinsop, S., Wilhelmsson, L., (2025). In search of eco-democracy: Education for mutually beneficial flourishing. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 41, 325–337.

Transforming pedagogical landscapes in the Anthropocene: perspectives on more-than-human agency and nature as a co-teacher in vernacular way

Educators’ respectful relationships with nature can center nature as a co-teacher and acknowledge the agency of the more-than-human world

Kondo, J., Baars, R. C., (2025). Transforming pedagogical landscapes in the Anthropocene: perspectives on more-than-human agency and nature as a co-teacher in vernacular way. Environmental Education Research, 31(8), 1658-1673.

Early childhood educators’ professional learning for sustainability through action research in Australian immersive nature play programmes

Early childhood educators' shifts towards relational pedagogies acknowledged nature's rights and agency

Hughes, F., (2023). Early childhood educators’ professional learning for sustainability through action research in Australian immersive nature play programmes. Educational Research for Social Change, 12(1), 69-83.

The family-nature-school success pathway: Longitudinal mediation by nature contact and moderation by residential green space

Increased nature contact explains the relationship between family members’ positive attitudes toward nature and improved learning outcomes among urban children in China

Zhang, J., Yang, X., Qi, Y., Yu, X., Chen, Y., (2026). The family-nature-school success pathway: Longitudinal mediation by nature contact and moderation by residential green space. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 109

Children’s perceptions of nature experiences from participating in a nature experience for nature connectedness intervention in Swedish school-age educare

After-school programs can foster children’s nature connectedness through frequent experiences in nearby nature

Wünsche, T. U., Beery, T., Fridberg, M, (2025). Children’s perceptions of nature experiences from participating in a nature experience for nature connectedness intervention in Swedish school-age educare. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

An exploratory study of preschool children at forest schools and traditional nurseries in Portugal and the UK

Preschoolers who attend forest school may experience greater enjoyment of nature, fewer negative emotions, and better emotional regulation

Pina, M., Edmonds, C. J., (2025). An exploratory study of preschool children at forest schools and traditional nurseries in Portugal and the UK. International Journal of Early Years Education

Journeys through forest school: a model for understanding diverse educational experiences of children

Theoretical model suggests that forest school can meet the unique needs of each student

Harris, F., (2026). Journeys through forest school: a model for understanding diverse educational experiences of children. Environmental Education Research, 32(2), 418-431.

Unearthing forest pedagogies: Autoethnographic encounters within critical forest studies

Children’s and parents’ forest school encounters reveal a forest-led pedagogy

Chartrand, M., (2026). Unearthing forest pedagogies: Autoethnographic encounters within critical forest studies. Australian Journal of Environmental Education