Biodiverse or barren school grounds: Their effects on children

Green schoolyards provide rich play environments

Samborski, S., (2010). Biodiverse or barren school grounds: Their effects on children. Children, Youth and Environments, 20(2), 67-115.

Experience in local urban wildlife research enhances a conservation education programme with school children

Nature-based experiences with academic mentors in urban environments enhances students' awareness and interest

Awasthy, M., Popovic, A. Z., Linklater, W. L., (2012). Experience in local urban wildlife research enhances a conservation education programme with school children. Pacific Conservation Biology, 18(1), 41 - 46.

The nature of udeskole: Outdoor learning theory and practice in Danish schools

Outdoor education in the context of Danish "udeskole" provides insights into best practices and practical challenges

Bensten, P., Jensen, F. S., (2012). The nature of udeskole: Outdoor learning theory and practice in Danish schools. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 12(3), 199 - 219.

Effects of integrating garden-based learning and E-learning into life education

Garden-based learning strengthens student's life learning and positive attitudes

Chen, M.L., Lou, S., Shih, R., (2013). Effects of integrating garden-based learning and E-learning into life education. Life Science Journal, 10(2), 2048 - 2057.

Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education

Age and academic level may predict children's connectedness to nature and the success of environmental education in enhancing connectedness

Lieflander, A., Frohlich, G., Bogner, F. X., Schultz, P. W., (2013). Promoting connectedness with nature through environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 19(3), 370 - 384.

Taking kindergartners outdoors: Documenting their explorations and assessing the impact on their ecological awareness

Nature kindergarten nurtures a deep connection with nature

Elliot, E., Ten Eycke, K., Chan, S., Müller, U., (2014). Taking kindergartners outdoors: Documenting their explorations and assessing the impact on their ecological awareness. Children, Youth and Environments, 24(2), 102-122.

A comparative study of the impacts and students' perceptions of indoor and outdoor learning in the science classroom

Outdoor learning complements indoor learning by improving student performance and increasing student participation and enjoyment in science learning activities

Dhanapal, S., Lim, C. C. Y., (2013). A comparative study of the impacts and students' perceptions of indoor and outdoor learning in the science classroom. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, 14(2), 1 - 23.

Contact with nature and children’s wellbeing in educational settings

Social interaction, stress and attention may improve in one- to three-year-olds by free play in outdoor green space

Carrus, G., Pirchio, S., Passiatore, Y., Mastandrea, S., Scopelliti, M., Bartoli, G., (2012). Contact with nature and children’s wellbeing in educational settings. Journal of Social Sciences, 8(3), 304 - 309.

Green schoolyards as havens from stress and resources for resilience in childhood and adolescence

Natural schoolyards decrease stress, strengthen attention, reduce behavior problems, and enhance factors associated with resilience in children of all ages

Chawla, L., Keena, K., Pevec, I., Stanley, E., (2014). Green schoolyards as havens from stress and resources for resilience in childhood and adolescence. Health & Place, 28, 1-13.

Does a nurturing approach that uses an outdoor play environment build resilience in children from a challenging background?

Children from challenging backgrounds experience improved well-being and resilience after participating in nurturing outdoor program

McArdle, K., Harrison, T., Harrison, D., (2013). Does a nurturing approach that uses an outdoor play environment build resilience in children from a challenging background?. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 13(3), 238-254.

"Sowing and growing" life skills through garden-based learning to reengage disengaged youth

Garden-based intervention program promotes positive learning and behavioral outcomes for students disengaged from school

Truong, S., Gray, T., Ward, K., (2016). "Sowing and growing" life skills through garden-based learning to reengage disengaged youth. LEARNing Landscapes, 10(1), 361-385.

Education for sustainable development in early childhood education: A review of the research literature

A research review of early childhood education for sustainability illustrates teachers’ differing definitions and changes in practice over time

Hedefalk, M., Almqvist, J., Ostman, L., (2015). Education for sustainable development in early childhood education: A review of the research literature. Environmental Education Research, 21(7), 975-990.

Food for thought: The intersection of gardens, education, and community at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans

Edible schoolyard garden in New Orleans promotes students' food security, environmental knowledge, and emotional and social well-being

Fakharzadeh, S., (2015). Food for thought: The intersection of gardens, education, and community at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans. Children, Youth and Environments, 25(3), 175-187.

Playing with nature: Supporting preschoolers' creativity in natural outdoor classrooms

Natural outdoor classrooms promote preschoolers’ creativity in the areas of problem-solving and ingenuity

Kiewra, C., Veselack, E., (2016). Playing with nature: Supporting preschoolers' creativity in natural outdoor classrooms. The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 4(1)

Early childhood environmental education in tropical and coastal areas: A meta-analysis

Informal learning activities can help young children learn about the natural world

Sawitri, D.R., (2017). Early childhood environmental education in tropical and coastal areas: A meta-analysis. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 55

Affordances of ditches for preschool children

Ditches have the potential to become an important design element in outdoor playspaces for young children

Lerstrup, I., Moller, M.S., (2016). Affordances of ditches for preschool children. Children, Youth and Environments, 26(2), 43-60.

Geotheorizing mountain-child relations within anthropogenic inheritances

Early childhood pedagogy based on relationality rather than separation could serve as a form of resistance to an extractive relationship with the more-than-human world

Nxumalo, F., (2017). Geotheorizing mountain-child relations within anthropogenic inheritances. Children's Geographies, 15(5), 558-569.

Love and social justice in learning for sustainability

Learning for sustainability requires a social justice approach applicable to both humans and the more-than-human world

Griffiths, M., Murray, R., (2017). Love and social justice in learning for sustainability. Ethics and Education

"We won't hurt you butterfly!" Second-graders become environmental stewards from experiences in a school garden

School-garden program promotes positive attitudes toward the environment

Fisher-Maltese, C., (2016). "We won't hurt you butterfly!" Second-graders become environmental stewards from experiences in a school garden. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 4(1), 54-69.

Pedagogical school gardens as a Food and Nutrition Education strategy: Perception of parents and educators of their impact on children's diets

Children and families experience dietary benefits of school gardens

Garcia, M.T., Coelho, D.E.P., Bogus, C.M., (2017). Pedagogical school gardens as a Food and Nutrition Education strategy: Perception of parents and educators of their impact on children's diets. Demetra

The perception, management and performance of risk amongst Forest School educators

Forest School educators altered their risk management practices in response to competing conceptions of childhood and risk

Connolly, M., Haughton, C., (2017). The perception, management and performance of risk amongst Forest School educators. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 38(2), 105-124.

Eco-school evaluation beyond labels: The impact of environmental policy, didactics and nature at school on student outcomes

Active teaching methods, environmental education policy, and the presence and use of natural green elements impact eco-schools’ environmental education outcomes

Boeve-de Pauw, J., Van Petegem, P., (2018). Eco-school evaluation beyond labels: The impact of environmental policy, didactics and nature at school on student outcomes. Environmental Education Research, 24(9), 1250-1267.

Education for sustainable development, nature, and vernacular learning

Nurturing a sense of wonder, joy, and belonging in learners as they experience nature is vital to developing an ethic of care for the planet

Selby, D., (2017). Education for sustainable development, nature, and vernacular learning. CEPS Journal, 7(1), 9-27.

Live green, think green: Sustainable school architecture and children's environmental attitudes and behaviors

Sustainable school design promotes students’ pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors

Tucker, R., Izadpanahi, P., (2017). Live green, think green: Sustainable school architecture and children's environmental attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 51, 209-216.

Are young children's utterances affected by characteristics of their learning environments? A multiple case study

Preschool children use richer language in a natural environment than in indoor or outdoor classrooms

Richardson, T., Murray, J., (2017). Are young children's utterances affected by characteristics of their learning environments? A multiple case study. Early Child Development and Care, 187(3-4), 457-468.

No-self, natural sustainability and education for sustainable development

Education based on natural sustainability highlights the non-dual relation between the self and the rest of the natural world

Wang, D-L., (2017). No-self, natural sustainability and education for sustainable development. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 49(5), 550-561.

The meaning of participation in school ground greening: A study from project to everyday setting

Children’s participation in school ground greening planning influences functionality; participation in management phases results in student engagement and satisfaction

Jansson, M., Martensson, F., Gunnarsson, A., (2018). The meaning of participation in school ground greening: A study from project to everyday setting. Landscape Research, 43(1), 163-179.

'If there's no sustainability our future will get wrecked': Exploring children's perspectives of sustainability

Children’s ideas about sustainability are developed through experiential, investigative, sensorial and place-oriented ways of learning

Green, M., (2017). 'If there's no sustainability our future will get wrecked': Exploring children's perspectives of sustainability. Childhood, 24(2), 151-167.

Identifying and characterizing risky play in the age one-to-three years

The existing definition and characteristics of risky play may not be useful for one-year-olds

Kleppe, R., Melhuish, E., Sandseter, E.B.H., (2017). Identifying and characterizing risky play in the age one-to-three years. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25(3), 370-385.

Cultural transmission at nature kindergartens: Foraging as a key ingredient

Educational benefits of foraging include the transmission of culture and strengthening children’s connection with nature

Nugent, C., Beames, S., (2015). Cultural transmission at nature kindergartens: Foraging as a key ingredient. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 20, 78-91.

Assessing a school gardening program as an integrated component of a pilot farm-to-school initiative based in South Carolina

School gardens are used for multidisciplinary academic instruction more than contribution to school nutrition programs

Taylor, C., Symon, E.B., Dabbs, A., Way, E., Thompson, O.M., (2017). Assessing a school gardening program as an integrated component of a pilot farm-to-school initiative based in South Carolina. HortTechnology, 27(2), 228-234.

'I saw a magical garden with flowers that people could not damage!': Children's visions of nature and of learning about nature in and out of school

Children’s deep emotional connection with nature generates a strongly protective disposition

Rios, C., Menezes, I., (2017). 'I saw a magical garden with flowers that people could not damage!': Children's visions of nature and of learning about nature in and out of school. Environmental Education Research, 23(10), 1402-1413.

Between indigenous and non-indigenous: Urban/nature/child pedagogies

Integrating indigenous perspectives and environmental education broadens place-based pedagogies

Somerville, M., Hickey, S., (2017). Between indigenous and non-indigenous: Urban/nature/child pedagogies. Environmental Education Research, 23(10), 1427-1439.

Effects of regular classes in outdoor education settings: A systematic review on students' learning, social and health dimensions

Regular classes in outdoor settings can promote students’ learning, health, social development, and concern for the environment

Becker, C., Lauterbach, G., Spengler, S., Dettweiler, U., Mess, F., (2017). Effects of regular classes in outdoor education settings: A systematic review on students' learning, social and health dimensions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14

Outdoor learning spaces: The case of forest school

Outdoor space provides new opportunities for children and teachers to interact in a way that stimulates both teaching and learning

Harris, F., (2017). Outdoor learning spaces: The case of forest school. AREA

Sowing seeds for healthier diets: Children's perspectives on school gardening

Including children in the planning and evaluation of school gardening and other health promotion programs may improve their effectiveness

Nury, E., Sarti, A., Dijkstra, C., Seidell, J., Dedding, C., (2017). Sowing seeds for healthier diets: Children's perspectives on school gardening. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14

Impact of school gardens in Nepal: A cluster randomised controlled trial

School garden program in Nepal raised awareness and knowledge of and preferences for fruit and vegetables but did not result in increased consumption of fruit and vegetables

Schreinemachers, P., Bhattarai, D.R., Subedi, G.D., Acharya, T.P., Chen, H-p., Yang, R-y., Kashichhawa, N.K., Dhungana, U., Luther, G.C., Mecozzi, M., (2017). Impact of school gardens in Nepal: A cluster randomised controlled trial. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 9(3), 329-343.

The matter of the stick: Storying/(re)storying children's literacies in the forest

In the context of forest school pedagogy, post humanism and the common worlds framework suggest that children’s learning is about, through and with the elements of the forest

Harwood, D., Collier, D.R., (2017). The matter of the stick: Storying/(re)storying children's literacies in the forest. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 17(3), 336-352.

Sustainability by default: Co-creating care and relationality through early childhood education

Early childhood education for sustainability can benefit from earlier pedagogical traditions focusing on connectivity, care, and crossing boundaries

Wals, A.E.J., (2017). Sustainability by default: Co-creating care and relationality through early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 49, 155-164.

The role of outdoor education in child development in Italian nursery schools

Outdoor activities may be more effective in promoting early child development than indoor activities

Monti, F., Farné, R., Crudeli, F., Agostini, F., Minelli, M., Ceciliani, A., (2017). The role of outdoor education in child development in Italian nursery schools. Early Child Development and Care, 189(6), 867-882.

Thrown together: Incorporating place and sustainability into early literacy education

Literacy learning can be broadened to integrate issues of sustainability

Schmidt, C., (2017). Thrown together: Incorporating place and sustainability into early literacy education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 49(2), 165-179.

The Schaus Swallowtail Habitat Enhancement Project: An applied service-learning project continuum from Biscayne National Park to Miami-Dade County Public Schools

School grounds can be used for the dual purpose of enhancing student learning and increasing the biodiversity of organisms

Clayburn, J., Koptur, S., O'Brien, G., Whelan, K.R.T., (2017). The Schaus Swallowtail Habitat Enhancement Project: An applied service-learning project continuum from Biscayne National Park to Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Southeastern Naturalist, 16(10), 26-46.

The importance of children interacting with big nature

Deepening children’s interaction with nature addresses the issue of environmental generational amnesia

Kahn, P.H., Weiss, T., (2017). The importance of children interacting with big nature. Children, Youth and Environments, 27(2), 7-24.

Nature by design: Playscape affordances support the use of executive function in preschoolers

The affordances of natural play spaces can support the development of executive function in preschool children

Carr, V., Brown, R.D., Schlembach, S., Kochanowski, L., (2017). Nature by design: Playscape affordances support the use of executive function in preschoolers. Children, Youth and Environments, 27(2), 25-46.

Landscapes for play: Effects of an intervention to promote nature-based risky play in early childhood centres

Nature-based risky play can promote young children’s development

Brussoni, M., Ishikawa, T., Brunelle, S., Herrington, S., (2017). Landscapes for play: Effects of an intervention to promote nature-based risky play in early childhood centres. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 54, 139-150.

Effects of school gardening lessons on elementary school children's physical activity and sedentary time

Garden-based lessons may increase students’ physical activity and decrease their sedentary time without interrupting learning time

Rees-Punia, E., Holloway, A., Knauft, D., Schmidt, M.D., (2017). Effects of school gardening lessons on elementary school children's physical activity and sedentary time. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 14(12), 959-964.

Promoting school connectedness among minority youth through experience-based urban farming

Experiential learning through urban farming may promote school connectedness of at-risk students

Fifolt, M., Morgan, A.F., Burgess, Z.R., (2017). Promoting school connectedness among minority youth through experience-based urban farming. Journal of Experiential Education

Thinking outside the four walls of the classroom: A Canadian Nature Kindergarten

Developing and implementing a Nature Kindergarten provided new opportunities for students and teachers to deepen their connections with place

Elliot, E., Krusekopt, F., (2017). Thinking outside the four walls of the classroom: A Canadian Nature Kindergarten. International Journal of Early Childhood

How to educate children for sustainable learning and for a sustainable world

Sustainable learning should be integrated into everyday practices with young children

Pramling Samuelsson, I., Park, E., (2017). How to educate children for sustainable learning and for a sustainable world. International Journal of Early Childhood, 49(3), 273–285.

'I eat the vegetables because I have grown them with my own hands': Children's perspectives on school gardening and vegetable consumption

School gardening may contribute to children’s intrinsic motivation to eat more vegetables

Sarti, A., Dijkstra, C., Nury, E., Seidell, J.C., Dedding, C., (2017). 'I eat the vegetables because I have grown them with my own hands': Children's perspectives on school gardening and vegetable consumption. Children & Society, 31(6), 429-440.