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.

Advancing sustainability through urban green space: Cultural ecosystem services, equity, and social determinants of health

More equitable access to urban green space may help alleviate health gaps between socio-economic groups

Jennings, V, Larson, L., Yun, J., (2016). Advancing sustainability through urban green space: Cultural ecosystem services, equity, and social determinants of health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(2)

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)

Shifting gears: Engaging nurse practitioners in prescribing time outdoors

Nurse practitioners can serve as catalysts in promoting healthier lifestyles through Park Prescription initiatives

Wessel, L.A., (2017). Shifting gears: Engaging nurse practitioners in prescribing time outdoors. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(1), 89-96.

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

Companion animals and child/adolescent development: A systematic review of the evidence

Pet ownership may be beneficial to child and adolescent emotional, cognitive, behavioral, educational and social development

Purewal, R., Christley, R., Kordas, K., Joinson, C,, Meints, K., Gee, N,, Westgarth, C., (2017). Companion animals and child/adolescent development: A systematic review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3)

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.

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.

'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.

'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.

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

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.

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.

Does access to green space impact the mental well-being of children: A systematic review

Access to nature can promote the mental well-being of children

McCormick, R., (2017). Does access to green space impact the mental well-being of children: A systematic review. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 37, 3-7.

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.

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

Mindful place-based education: Mapping the literature

Mindfulness can strengthen place-based education

Deringer, S.A., (2017). Mindful place-based education: Mapping the literature. Journal of Experiential Education

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.

School gardens in the city. Does environmental equity help close the achievement gap?

School gardens could serve as gateways to reducing the academic achievement gap

Ray, R., Fisher, D.R., Fisher-Maltese, C., (2016). School gardens in the city. Does environmental equity help close the achievement gap?. Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, 13(2), 379-395.

Effects of nature kindergarten attendance on children's functioning

Attending a nature kindergarten may enhance children’s locomotor and social skills

Müller, U., Temple, V.A., Smith, B., Kerns, K., Ten Eycke, K., Crane, J., Sheehan, J., (2017). Effects of nature kindergarten attendance on children's functioning. Children, Youth and Environments, 27(2), 47-69.

Comparing classroom context and physical activity in nature and traditional kindergartens

Natural learning environments promote physical activity more than traditional learning environments

Meyer, J., Müller, U., Macoun, S., (2017). Comparing classroom context and physical activity in nature and traditional kindergartens. Children, Youth and Environments, 27(3), 56-77.

Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students

Tree cover and species composition have a positive effect on children’s academic performance, especially for children in socio-economically challenged schools

Sivarajah, S., Smith, S.M., Thomas, S.C., (2018). Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students. PLOS ONE, 13(2)

Nurture thru nature: Creating natural science identities in populations of disadvantaged children through community education partnership

Experimental evidence provides some support for nature-based interventions in improving academic performance in language arts and science

Camasso, M.J., Jagannathan, R., (2018). Nurture thru nature: Creating natural science identities in populations of disadvantaged children through community education partnership. Journal of Environmental Education, 49(1), 30-42.

Place-based outdoor learning: More than a drag and drop approach

Place-based outdoor learning extends the success of the Forest School approach

Lloyd, A., Truong, S., Gray, T., (2018). Place-based outdoor learning: More than a drag and drop approach. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 45-60.

Affordances guiding Forest School practice: The application of the ecological dynamics approach

Ecological Dynamics, with its focus on affordances and the person-environment relationship, could enhance Forest School practice

Sharma-Brymer, V., Brymer, E., Gray, T., Davids, K., (2018). Affordances guiding Forest School practice: The application of the ecological dynamics approach. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 103-115.

Early childhood education in the outdoors in Aotearoa New Zealand

Indigenous Māori worldviews can give meaning and contextualized authenticity to forest school approaches in early childhood education in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Alcock, S., Ritchie, J., (2018). Early childhood education in the outdoors in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 77-88.

First Nation pedagogical emphasis on imitation and making the stuff of life: Canadian lessons for indigenizing Forest Schools

Incorporating First Nations pedagogy in Forest Schools in Canada requires an appreciation of imitative learning

MacEachren, Z., (2018). First Nation pedagogical emphasis on imitation and making the stuff of life: Canadian lessons for indigenizing Forest Schools. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21, 89-102.

A critique of "Forest School" or something lost in translation

Contributions of Forest School to outdoor education can be enhanced by deep explorations into its cultural and theoretical meaning

Leather, M., (2018). A critique of "Forest School" or something lost in translation. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(5), 5-18.

Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies

Nature kindergarten programs in Victoria, Australia are built around local conditions and influences versus imported Forest School practices

Christiansen, A., Hannan, S., Anderson, K., Coxon, L., Fargher, D., (2018). Place-based nature kindergarten in Victoria, Australia: No tools, no toys, no art supplies. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 61-75.

Science in the Learning Gardens (SciLG): A study of students' motivation, achievement, and science identity in low-income middle schools

Students’ motivational experiences in garden-based learning predict science engagement, learning and achievement

Williams, D.R., Brule, H., Kelley, S.S., Skinner, E.A., (2018). Science in the Learning Gardens (SciLG): A study of students' motivation, achievement, and science identity in low-income middle schools. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(8)

A systematic review of the health and well-being impacts of school gardening: Synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence

School gardens benefit students and adults in various ways, yet more robust evidence is needed to promote school gardening programs as public health interventions

Ohly, H., Gentry, S., Wigglesworth, R., Bethel, A., Lovell, R., Garside, R., (2016). A systematic review of the health and well-being impacts of school gardening: Synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health, 16(1)

The Hare and the Tortoise go to Forest School: Taking the scenic route to academic attainment via emotional wellbeing outdoors

Young children from disadvantaged backgrounds participating in a 3-year Forest School show increased well-being and academic development

McCree, M., Cutting, R., Sherwin, D., (2018). The Hare and the Tortoise go to Forest School: Taking the scenic route to academic attainment via emotional wellbeing outdoors. Early Child Development and Care, 188(7), 980-996.

Modeling child-nature interaction in a nature preschool: A proof of concept

Child–nature interaction can be modeled in a nature preschool based on interaction patterns

Kahn, P.H., Weiss, T., Harrington, K., (2018). Modeling child-nature interaction in a nature preschool: A proof of concept. Frontiers in Psychology, 9

Education for what? Shaping the field of climate change education with children and young people as co-researchers

Climate change education can become an entirely new field of educational experience and inquiry when it is inclusive of and led by young people

Cutter-Mackenzie, A., Rousell, D., (2019). Education for what? Shaping the field of climate change education with children and young people as co-researchers. Children's Geographies, 17(1), 90-104.

What is different about Forest School? Creating a space for an alternative pedagogy

The divergence and freedoms inherent in Forest School may contribute to the well-being of participants

Waite, S., Goodenough, A., (2018). What is different about Forest School? Creating a space for an alternative pedagogy. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(1), 25-44.

Characteristics of forest sites used by a Danish forest preschool

Loose parts and shielded places are highly-desired features of forest sites for preschool children

Lerstrup, I., Refshauge, A.D., (2016). Characteristics of forest sites used by a Danish forest preschool. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 387-396.

Illnesses and injuries at nature preschools

Nature preschools are safe for young children

Frenkel, H., Tandon, P., Frumkin, H., Vander Stoep, A., (2018). Illnesses and injuries at nature preschools. Environment and Behavior

Youth e-participation as a pillar of sustainable societies

A game-based and expert-supported approach engages youth in urban planning for a sustainable future

Rexhepi, A., Filiposk, S., Trajkovik, V., (2018). Youth e-participation as a pillar of sustainable societies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174(10), 114-122.

Greenness and school-wide test scores are not always positively associated - A replication of "linking performance in Massachusetts elementary schools with the 'greenness' of school surroundings using remote sensing"

Academic achievement outcomes associated with greenness around schools may differ between low-green, high-disadvantaged schools and high-green, low-disadvantaged schools

Browning, M.H.E.M., Kuo, M., Sachdeva, S., Leed, K., Westphal, L., (2018). Greenness and school-wide test scores are not always positively associated - A replication of "linking performance in Massachusetts elementary schools with the 'greenness' of school surroundings using remote sensing". Landscape and Urban Planning, 178, 69-72.

Nature-based learning for student achievement and ecological citizenship

Nature-based learning recognizes and addresses the needs of both students and the natural world

Chawla, L., (2018). Nature-based learning for student achievement and ecological citizenship. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 20(1 & 2)

Use of children's literature to support an emerging curriculum model of education for sustainable development for young learners

Children’s literature can be an integral component of education for sustainable development for young learners

Bhagwanji, Y., Born, P., (2018). Use of children's literature to support an emerging curriculum model of education for sustainable development for young learners. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 12(2), 85-102.