A randomized controlled trial for families with preschool children - Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature

A proposed study aims to measure the effectiveness of “connectedness to nature” as a factor in promoting physical activity and healthy eating in young children.

Sobko, T., Tse, M., Kaplan, M., (2016). A randomized controlled trial for families with preschool children - Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature. BMC Public Health, 16

Bringing the jellyfish home: Environmental consciousness and ‘sense of wonder’ in young children’s encounters with natural landscapes and places

Researcher finds no contradiction between environmental learning and taking children outdoors to play freely in natural environments

Jørgensen, K-A., (2016). Bringing the jellyfish home: Environmental consciousness and ‘sense of wonder’ in young children’s encounters with natural landscapes and places. Environmental Education Research, 22(8), 1139-1157.

Long-term outcomes of an urban farming internship program

Urban farming internship program offers long-term benefits for youth.

Sonti, N.F., Campbell, L.K., Johnson, M.L, Daftary-Steel, S., (2016). Long-term outcomes of an urban farming internship program. Journal of Experiential Education, 1-19.

Comparing apples and pears?: A conceptual framework for understanding forms of outdoor learning through comparison of English Forest Schools and Danish udeskole

The Danish udeskole is more integrated in the national educational system than are Forest Schools in England

Waite, S., Bolling, M., Bensten, P., (2016). Comparing apples and pears?: A conceptual framework for understanding forms of outdoor learning through comparison of English Forest Schools and Danish udeskole. Environmental Education Research, 22(6), 868-892.

Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability

Early childhood education for sustainability calls for more meaningful engagement of children with nature.

Elliott, S., Young, T., (2016). Nature by default in early childhood education for sustainability. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 32(1), 57–64.

Connecting students to nature – How intensity of nature experience and student age influence the success of outdoor education programs

Both student age and length of time in natural surroundings influence positive changes in connectedness to nature

Braun, T., Dierkes, P., (2017). Connecting students to nature – How intensity of nature experience and student age influence the success of outdoor education programs. Environmental Education Research, 23(7), 937-949.

Nature as a moderator of stress in urban children

Nearby nature helps children cope with adversity

Corraliza, J.A., Collado, S., Bethelmy, L., (2012). Nature as a moderator of stress in urban children. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 38, 253-263.

Unruly children in unbounded spaces: School-based nature experiences for urban learning disabled young people in Greater Manchester, UK

Attempts to mitigate perceived risk result in education and leisure opportunities that are highly structured and supervised for students with disabilities

von Benzon, N., (2017). Unruly children in unbounded spaces: School-based nature experiences for urban learning disabled young people in Greater Manchester, UK. Journal of Rural Studies, 51, 240-250.

Playground development in Papua New Guinea: Creating new play, learning and research environments

A new, culturally appropriate and locally-sourced playground provides a safe, stimulating environment for play, learning and research

Simoncini, K., Carr, V., Elliott, S., Manson, E., Simeon, L., Sawi, J., (2016). Playground development in Papua New Guinea: Creating new play, learning and research environments. Children, Youth and Environments, 26(1), 179-194.

The feasibility of school gardens as an educational approach in Greece: A survey of Greek schools

Study supports the feasibility of school gardens as an educational approach in Greece

Plaka, V., Skanavis, C., (2016). The feasibility of school gardens as an educational approach in Greece: A survey of Greek schools. International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 10(2), 141-159.

The holistic impact of classroom spaces on learning in specific subjects

Differing elements in and around the classroom impact students’ learning in math, reading, and writing

Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y., Barrett, L., (2017). The holistic impact of classroom spaces on learning in specific subjects. Environment and Behavior, 49(4), 425-451.

Environmental identity formation in nonformal environmental education programs

Nonformal environmental education programs support development of environmental identity

Williams, C.C., Chawla, L., (2016). Environmental identity formation in nonformal environmental education programs. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 978-1001.

Forest gardens – New opportunities for urban children to understand and develop relationships with other organisms

Forest gardens have the potential to connect children emotionally and cognitively to other organisms

Askerlund, P., Almers, E., (2016). Forest gardens – New opportunities for urban children to understand and develop relationships with other organisms. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening

What are the characteristics of nature preschools in Norway, and how do they organize their daily activities?

Nature preschools in Norway spend a large amount of time in nature and allow the children a significant amount of freedom and trust

Lysklett, O.B., Berger, H.W., (2016). What are the characteristics of nature preschools in Norway, and how do they organize their daily activities?. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

Young people’s cognitive achievement as fostered by hands-on-centred environmental education

Direct experiences with nature and hands-on follow-up activities can foster students’ cognitive achievement

Dieser, O., Bogner, F.X., (2016). Young people’s cognitive achievement as fostered by hands-on-centred environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 943-957.

Environmental education excursions and proximity to urban green space – Densification in a ‘compact city’

Green spaces in close proximity to schools stimulate environmental education fieldwork

Wolsink, M., (2016). Environmental education excursions and proximity to urban green space – Densification in a ‘compact city’. Environmental Education Research, 22(7), 1049-1071.

Integrated animal-assisted and plant-assisted ecotherapy for preschool children with speech disturbances: A program for the Arctic

A program integrating animal- and plant- assisted therapy has multiple benefits for young children with speech problems

Kalashnikova, I.V., Oksana, B.G., Zhirov, V.K., Kalashnikov, A.O., (2016). Integrated animal-assisted and plant-assisted ecotherapy for preschool children with speech disturbances: A program for the Arctic. Ecopsychology, 8(2), 79-88.

Young students’ aesthetic experiences and meaning-making processes in an outdoor environmental school practice

Aesthetic experiences play a vital role in meaning-making processes in outdoor learning

Manni, A., Ottander, C., Sporre, K., (2016). Young students’ aesthetic experiences and meaning-making processes in an outdoor environmental school practice. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning

Family learning outdoors: Guided participation on a nature walk

Study suggests adopting an expanded view of what counts as an informal science learning institution

Zimmerman, H.T., McClain, L.R., (2016). Family learning outdoors: Guided participation on a nature walk. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(6), 919-942.

Infant and toddler responses to a redesign of their childcare outdoor play space

The greening of an outdoor playspace led to an increase in the variety and level of infants’ and toddlers’ movement and physical activity

Morrissey, A-M, Scott, C., Wishart, L., (2015). Infant and toddler responses to a redesign of their childcare outdoor play space. Children, Youth & Environments, 25(1), 29-56.

Bringing nature to schools to promote children’s physical activity

Physical activity in schools will be enhanced when children have more opportunities for engaging with nature-related features

Sharma-Brymer, V., Bland, D., (2016). Bringing nature to schools to promote children’s physical activity. Sports Medicine, 46, 955-962.

Social justice, place, and equitable science education: Broadening urban students’ opportunities to learn

Equitable science instruction increases minority students’ science knowledge and interest

Leonard, J., Chamberlin, S.A., Johnson, J.B., Verma, G., (2016). Social justice, place, and equitable science education: Broadening urban students’ opportunities to learn. Urban Review, 48, 355-379.

The impacts of outdoor learning activities on children's self development

Study from Indonesia indicates that outdoor learning has a positive impact on young children’s development

Sari, A.N.I., (2016). The impacts of outdoor learning activities on children's self development. ELT Perspective, 4(1), 1-8.

Weather worlding: Learning with the elements in early childhood

Learning in and with the weather rather than about the weather is proposed as a new approach in early childhood environmental education

Rooney, T., (2018). Weather worlding: Learning with the elements in early childhood. Environmental Education Research, 24(1), 1-12.

Going, doing, gardening: School gardens in the underrepresented communities of LakeWorth, Palm Springs, and Greenacres, Florida

Garden programs positively influenced students’ and teachers’ lives in an impoverished community

Wagenfeld, A., Whitfield, E., (2015). Going, doing, gardening: School gardens in the underrepresented communities of LakeWorth, Palm Springs, and Greenacres, Florida. Children, Youth and Environments, 25(1), 119-131.

A retrospective study of social relations in a Danish primary school class taught in ‘udeskole’

Students in an outdoor class show improved social relations both at the time of participation and over a longer period of time

Hartmeyer, R., Mygind, E., (2016). A retrospective study of social relations in a Danish primary school class taught in ‘udeskole’. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 16(1), 78-89.

The Youth Leading Environmental Change project: A mixed-method longitudinal study across six countries

An environmental justice framework can be an effective way to create motivation for action and help youth better understand the complexity of global climate change and sustainability

Riemer, M., Voorhees, C., Dittmer, L., Alisat, S., Alam, N., Sayal, R., Bidisha, S.H., De Souza, A., Lynes, J., Metternich, A., Mugagga, F., Schweizer-Ries, P., (2016). The Youth Leading Environmental Change project: A mixed-method longitudinal study across six countries. Ecopsychology, 8(3), 174-187..

Where do the children play?: An investigation of the intersection of nature, early childhood education and play

Interest in nature’s role in early childhood is gaining momentum after an uneven past

Brown, J.M., Kaye, C., (2017). Where do the children play?: An investigation of the intersection of nature, early childhood education and play. Early Child Development and Care, 187(5-6), 1028-1041.

The impact of a therapy dog program on children’s reading skills and attitudes toward reading

Qualitative and quantitative data support the use of dog-assisted reading programs

Kirnan, J., Siminerio, S., Wong, Z., (2016). The impact of a therapy dog program on children’s reading skills and attitudes toward reading. Early Childhood Education Journal, 44, 637-651.

Young children’s ideas about environment: Perspectives from three early childhood educational settings

Study finds environmental sustainability education effective with young children

Madden, L., Liang, J., (2017). Young children’s ideas about environment: Perspectives from three early childhood educational settings. Environmental Education Research, 23(8), 1055-1071.

An Australian perspective of a forest school: Shaping a sense of place to support learning

A forest school approach promotes a sense of self, belonging, and relational connections

Cumming, F., Nash, M., (2015). An Australian perspective of a forest school: Shaping a sense of place to support learning. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 15(4), 296-309.

Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools: An updated national population survey

National survey update shows an increase in udeskole (outdoor learning) in Denmark schools

Barford, K., Ejbye-Ernst, N., Mygind, L., Bentsen, P., (2016). Increased provision of udeskole in Danish schools: An updated national population survey. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 277-281.

Agencies, educators, communities and wildfire: Partnerships to enhance environmental education for youth,

Community-school partnerships help students gain environmental knowledge, action competence, community skills, and efficacy, while helping partner agencies meet their goals

Monroe, M.C., Ballard, H.L., Oxarart, A., Sturtevant, V.E., Jakes, P.J., Evans, E.R., (2016). Agencies, educators, communities and wildfire: Partnerships to enhance environmental education for youth,. Environmental Education Research, 22(8), 1098-1114.

Measuring social capital among youth: Applications in environmental education

Researchers develop an instrument for measuring youth social capital outcomes with relevance for environmental education

Krasny, M.E., Kalbacker, L., Stedman, R.C., Russ, A., (2015). Measuring social capital among youth: Applications in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 21(1), 1-23.

Using mobile technology to engage children with nature

A mobile application proved effective in connecting children to nature

Crawford, M.R., Holder, M.D., O’Connor, B.P., (2017). Using mobile technology to engage children with nature. Environment and Behavior, 49(9), 959-984.

Effect of the Israeli “Green Schools” reform on pupils’ environmental attitudes and behavior

Intensity level of EE programs affects the environmental behavior results

Shay-Margalit, B., Rubin, O.D., (2017). Effect of the Israeli “Green Schools” reform on pupils’ environmental attitudes and behavior. Society & Natural Resources, 30(1), 112-128.

Long-term green space exposure and cognition across the life course: A systematic review

Literature review points to association between long-term exposure to green space and cognition

de Keijzer, C., Gascon, M, Nieuwenhuijsen, M.J., Dadvand, P., (2016). Long-term green space exposure and cognition across the life course: A systematic review. Current Environmental Health Reports, 3(4), 468-477.

Nurturing environmental stewards through preschool physical design

Report provides guidance on how preschools can be used to nurture environmental stewards among Malaysian children

Shaari, M.F., Ahmad, S.S., Ismail, I.S., (2016). Nurturing environmental stewards through preschool physical design. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 1(3), 9-10.

School grounds as a resource of green space to increase child-plant contact

School grounds have potential for, but are currently underutilized as, resources for child-plant interaction

Akoumianaki-Ioannidou, A., Paraskevopoulou, A.T., Tachou, V., (2016). School grounds as a resource of green space to increase child-plant contact. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 375-386.

Affordances of outdoor settings for children in preschool: Revisiting Heft’s functional taxonomy

Although requiring clarification, the concept of "affordances" is important in planning outdoor playspaces

Lerstrup, I., van den Bosch, C.K., (2016). Affordances of outdoor settings for children in preschool: Revisiting Heft’s functional taxonomy. Landscape Research, 42(1), 47-62.

Children's use of iPads in outdoor environmental education programs

Students showed more interest in nature than in mobile devices during an outdoor environmental education experience

Kacoroski, J., Liddicoat, K.R., Kerlin, S., (2016). Children's use of iPads in outdoor environmental education programs. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 15(4), 301-311.

School gardens and adolescent nutrition and BMI: Results from a national, multilevel study

High school students, especially students living in poverty, benefit from access to school gardens

Utter, J., Denny, S., Dyson, B., (2016). School gardens and adolescent nutrition and BMI: Results from a national, multilevel study. Preventive Medicine, 83, 1-4.

How is high school greenness related to students' restoration and health?

High school greenness can help students recover from stress

Akpinar, A., (2016). How is high school greenness related to students' restoration and health?. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 16, 1-8.

Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature families with preschool children. Evaluation of pilot study "Play&Grow"

A pilot study using nature-related activities to address obesity offers support for more rigorous research

Sobko, T., Jia, Z., Kaplan, M., Lee, A., Tseng, C-h., (2016). Promoting healthy eating and active playtime by connecting to nature families with preschool children. Evaluation of pilot study "Play&Grow". Pediatric Research, 81, 572-581.

Opening garden gates: Teachers make meaning of school gardens in Havana and Philadelphia

Teachers in Havana and Philadelphia use opportunities through schools and the social context to legitimate marginalized garden-based learning

Bucher, K., (2017). Opening garden gates: Teachers make meaning of school gardens in Havana and Philadelphia. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 12-21.

Environmental action and student environmental leaders: Exploring the influence of environmental attitudes, locus of control, and sense of personal responsibility

Predictors of pro-environmental behavior in adults overlap with, but aren’t the same, as predictors of environmental action in youth

Ernst, J., Blood, N., Beery, T., (2017). Environmental action and student environmental leaders: Exploring the influence of environmental attitudes, locus of control, and sense of personal responsibility. Environmental Education Research, 23(2), 149-175.

Green urban landscapes and school-level academic performance

Higher levels of tree canopy are linked to higher school-level reading test scores

Hodson, C.B., Sander, H.A., (2017). Green urban landscapes and school-level academic performance. Landscape and Urban Planning, 160, 16-27.

Exploring the benefits of school gardening for children in Taiwan and identifying the factors influencing these benefits

Multiple factors contribute to the benefits and highlight the unique characteristics of gardening with children

Chang, Y-Y, Su, W-C, Tang, I-C, Chang, C-Y, (2016). Exploring the benefits of school gardening for children in Taiwan and identifying the factors influencing these benefits. HortTechnology, 26(6), 783-792.

Children and nature in Tukum Village: Indigenious education and biophilia

Educational experiences of indigenous children promote biophilia and environmental awareness

Profice, C., Santos, G.M., dos Anjos, N.A., (2016). Children and nature in Tukum Village: Indigenious education and biophilia. Journal of Child and Adolescent Behavior, 4(6)

Critical caring for people and place

A teacher’s authentic caring played a critical role in how students related to their environmental learning experiences.

Schindel, A., Tolbert, S., (2017). Critical caring for people and place. The Journal of Environmental Education, 48(1), 26-34.