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Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature
Review of the early childhood environmental education literature presents overwhelmingly strong evidence of positive child development and environmental outcomes
Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., (2020). Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature. Educational Research Review, 31Exploring geographical, curricular, and demographic factors of nature use by children in urban schoolyards in Raleigh, NC, USA
Simply providing nature-rich areas in schoolyards cannot guarantee the use of natural spaces by children and teachers
Zhang, Z., Stevenson, K. T., Martin, K. L., (2021). Exploring geographical, curricular, and demographic factors of nature use by children in urban schoolyards in Raleigh, NC, USA. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 65Nature and children's health: A systematic review
Positive associations between nature contact and children’s health supports advocacy for equitable nature access
Fyfe-Johnson, A. L., Hazlehurst, M. F., Perrins, S. P., Bratman, G. N., Thomas, R., Garrett, K. A., Hafferty, K. R., Cullaz, T. M., Marcuse, E. K., Tandon, P. S., (2021). Nature and children's health: A systematic review. Pediatrics, 148(4)Finnish student teachers’ ideas of outdoor learning
Finnish student teachers’ ideas align with reforms promoting sustainability and outdoor learning
Ratinen, I., Sarivaara, E., Kuukkanen, P., (2021). Finnish student teachers’ ideas of outdoor learning. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor LearningGreen schoolyard renovations in low‐income urban neighborhoods: Benefits to students, schools, and the surrounding community
Green schoolyards may be “particularly powerful drivers of health equity by promoting well‐being at the level of the individual, school, and community.”
Bohnert, A. M., Nicholson, L. M., Mertz, L., Bates, C. R., Gerstein, D. E., (2021). Green schoolyard renovations in low‐income urban neighborhoods: Benefits to students, schools, and the surrounding community. American Journal of Community Psychology,Pedagogies of outdoor spaces: An early childhood educator professional learning journey
Some early childhood educators may need extended professional development to help them appreciate the value of nature-rich environments for young children
Wishart, L., Rouse, E., (2019). Pedagogies of outdoor spaces: An early childhood educator professional learning journey. Early Child Development and Care, 189(14),Equally green? Understanding the distribution of urban green infrastructure across student demographics in four public school districts in North Carolina, USA
Schools can help mitigate environmental injustices suffered by low-income, high minority communities by increasing greenness on their property
Zhang, Z., Martin, K. L., Stevenson, K. T., Yao, Y., (2021). Equally green? Understanding the distribution of urban green infrastructure across student demographics in four public school districts in North Carolina, USA. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 67Use of gardening programs as an intervention to increase children’s visual-motor integration
Male preschoolers may respond especially well to gardening programs in developing visual-motor integration
Sommerfeld, A. J., McFarland, A., Waliczek, T. M., Zajicek, J., (2021). Use of gardening programs as an intervention to increase children’s visual-motor integration. HortTechnology, 31(5)Engaging school and family in Navajo gardening for health: Development of the Yéego intervention to promote healthy eating among Navajo children
Integrating Navajo traditions into the school’s nutrition and gardening lessons may help reduce obesity among Navajo children
Ornelas, I. J., Rudd, K., Bishop, S., Deschenie, D., Brown, E. Fred, Lombard, K., Beresford, S. A. A., (2021). Engaging school and family in Navajo gardening for health: Development of the Yéego intervention to promote healthy eating among Navajo children. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 8(3),Vegetation cover within and around schools in Santiago de Chile: Are schools helping to mitigate urban vegetation inequalities?
Schools in Santiago, Chile mimic the vegetation inequalities seen throughout the city
Fernández, I.C., Pérez-Silva, R., Villalobos-Araya, E., (2022). Vegetation cover within and around schools in Santiago de Chile: Are schools helping to mitigate urban vegetation inequalities?. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 70Children’s emotional experiences in and about nature across temporal–spatial entanglements during digital storying
Engaging children in digital storying can support children in expressing and sharing their emotional experiences.
Byman, J., Kumpulainen, K., Wong, C., Renlund, J., (2022). Children’s emotional experiences in and about nature across temporal–spatial entanglements during digital storying. Literacy, 56(1)Does environmental education benefit environmental outcomes in children and adolescents? A meta-analysis
A synthesis of global research shows that environmental education is effective for children and adolescents, yet little is known about the conditions and approaches that make it effective.
van de Wetering, J., Leijten, P, Spitzer, J., Thomaes, S., (2022). Does environmental education benefit environmental outcomes in children and adolescents? A meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental PsychologyHow to support young children's interest development during exploratory natural science activities in outdoor environments
Different interactional qualities of teachers are needed to support young children's interest in natural elements
Skalstad, I., Munkebye, E., (2022). How to support young children's interest development during exploratory natural science activities in outdoor environments. Teaching and Teacher Education, 120Getting out of the classroom and into nature: A systematic review of nature-specific outdoor learning on school children's learning and development
Nature-specific learning outside the classroom has measurable socio-emotional, academic and wellbeing benefits for school children across all ages
Mann, J., Gray, T., Truong, S., Brymer, E., Passy, R., Ho, S., Sahlberg, P., Ward, K., Bentsen, P., Curry, C., Cowper, R., (2022). Getting out of the classroom and into nature: A systematic review of nature-specific outdoor learning on school children's learning and development. Frontiers in Public Health, 10Nature-based early childhood education and children’s social, emotional and cognitive development: A mixed-methods systematic review
Nature-based early childhood education may support children’s growth in multiple areas of social, emotional, and cognitive development
Johnstone, A., Martin, A., Cordovil, R., Fjørtoft, I., Iivonen, S., Jidovtseff, B., Lopes, F., Reilly, J. J., Thomson, H., Wells, V., McCrorie, P., (2022). Nature-based early childhood education and children’s social, emotional and cognitive development: A mixed-methods systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19Nature-based instruction for science learning – a good fit for all: A controlled comparison of classroom versus nature
Nature-based instruction supports science learning for all students regardless of socioeconomic status
Faber Taylor, A., Butts-Wilmsmeyer, C., Jordan, C., (2022). Nature-based instruction for science learning – a good fit for all: A controlled comparison of classroom versus nature. Environmental Education ResearchHow does play in the outdoors afford opportunities for schema development in young children?
Loose parts in an outdoor environment can enhance children’s play and promote their holistic development.
Boulton, P., Thomas, A., (2022). How does play in the outdoors afford opportunities for schema development in young children?. International Journal of Play, 11(2),Naturally enough? Children, climate anxiety and the importance of hope
A pedagogy of hope encourages and supports children’s climate change activism
Buchanan, J., Pressick-Kilborn, K., Fergusson, J., (2021). Naturally enough? Children, climate anxiety and the importance of hope. The Social Educator, 39(3),From climate change victims to climate change actors: The role of eco-parenting in building mitigation and adaptation capacities in children
Eco-parenting promotes climate change mitigation and adaptation capacities in children
Nche, G. C., Achunike, H. C., Okoli, A. B., (2019). From climate change victims to climate change actors: The role of eco-parenting in building mitigation and adaptation capacities in children. The Journal of Environmental Education, 50(2),Climate change and child health: a scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework
Climate change will have a detrimental direct and indirect impact on children’s health and wellbeing
Helldén, D., Andersson, C., Nilsson, M., Ebi, K. L., Friberg, P., Alfvén, T., (2021). Climate change and child health: a scoping review and an expanded conceptual framework. Lancet Planet Health, 5(3),Choice matters: Pupils' stress regulation, brain development and brain function in an outdoor education project
Education outside the classroom can have a positive effect on biological stress regulation
Dettweiler, U., Gerchen, M., Mall, C., Simon, P., Kirsch, P., (2022). Choice matters: Pupils' stress regulation, brain development and brain function in an outdoor education project. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(1),Diversity in outdoor education: Discrepancies in SEL across a school overnight program
Implicit bias may influence assessment results of SEL in a multicultural group of students
Germinaro, K., Jones, J. M., (2021). Diversity in outdoor education: Discrepancies in SEL across a school overnight program. Journal of Experiential Education"I just want to stay out there all day”: A case study of two special educators and five autistic children learning outside at school
Contact with nature during the school day can benefit both students with autism and their teachers
Friedman, S., Morrison, S. A., (2022). "I just want to stay out there all day”: A case study of two special educators and five autistic children learning outside at school. Frontiers in Education, 6“You don’t wanna teach little kids about climate change”: Beliefs and barriers to sustainability education in early childhood
Sustainability education at nature-based preschools in the United States is limited
Ginsburg, J.L., Audley, S., (2020). “You don’t wanna teach little kids about climate change”: Beliefs and barriers to sustainability education in early childhood. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7(3),Tracking education for sustainable development in ECEC institutions’ annual plans
Early childhood teachers in Norway foster respect for the environment but do not address the social and economic dimensions of sustainable development
Meland, A. T., (2022). Tracking education for sustainable development in ECEC institutions’ annual plans. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 30(5 ),Affordances of small animals for young children: A path to environmental values of care
Affordances of small animals may promote sustainability goals for young children
Lerstrup, I., Chawla, L., Heft, H., (2021). Affordances of small animals for young children: A path to environmental values of care. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 9(1),School greenspace is associated with enhanced benefits of academic interventions on annual reading improvement for children of color in California
School greenspace may bolster the effects of instructional interventions for students with high academic support needs
Rahai, R., Wells, N. M., Evans, G. W., (2023). School greenspace is associated with enhanced benefits of academic interventions on annual reading improvement for children of color in California. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 83Revealing the research ‘hole’ of early childhood education for sustainability: A preliminary survey of the literature
Research on education for sustainable development has generally not included early childhood
Davis, J., (2009). Revealing the research ‘hole’ of early childhood education for sustainability: A preliminary survey of the literature. Environmental Education Research, 15(2),The autonomy-authority duality of shared decision-making in youth environmental action
Educators find that achieving a suitable balance between autonomy and authority in youth action projects is challenging
Schusler, T.M., Krasny, M.E., Decker, D.J., (2017). The autonomy-authority duality of shared decision-making in youth environmental action. Environmental Education Research, 23(4),Beyond the ‘usual suspects’? Engaging children in diverse communities in co-producing an arboretum-meadow: Professional partner perspectives
Engaging children in the co-production of nature-based solutions can foster their connections to nature
Hoyle, H., Cottrill, W., (2023). Beyond the ‘usual suspects’? Engaging children in diverse communities in co-producing an arboretum-meadow: Professional partner perspectives. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 79The teacher’s role for engagement in foraging and gardening activities in kindergarten
Early childhood educators nurture young children’s enthusiasm for learning in nature
Bergan, V., Nylund, M. B., Midtbø, I. L., Paulsen, B. H. L., (2023). The teacher’s role for engagement in foraging and gardening activities in kindergarten. Environmental Education ResearchConnection to nature is associated with social-emotional learning of children
Children with a strong connection to nature have higher social emotional learning skills than those with a weaker connection to nature
Lanza, K., Alcazar, M., Chen, B., Kohl III, H. W., (2023). Connection to nature is associated with social-emotional learning of children. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 4Nature-based early childhood activities as environmental education?: A review of Japanese and Australian perspectives
Guidelines and practices for nature-based activities with young children tend to lack a comprehensive approach to early childhood education for sustainability
Inoue, M., Elliott, S., Mitsuhashi, M., Kido, H., (2019). Nature-based early childhood activities as environmental education?: A review of Japanese and Australian perspectives. Japanese Journal of Environmental Education, 28(4)“We should have held this in a circle”: White ignorance and answerability in outdoor education
Barriers to addressing settler colonialism in outdoor education programs include lack of understanding, fear, and adherence to white ignorance
Brooks, S. D., Sabzalian, L., Weiser-Nieto, R., Springer, S., (2023). “We should have held this in a circle”: White ignorance and answerability in outdoor education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 54(2),The impact of music making outdoors on primary school aged pupils (aged 7–10 years) in the soundscape of nature from the perspective of their primary school teachers
The benefits of outdoor activities in nature may go beyond what can be achieved in school
Adams, D., Beauchamp, G., (2021). The impact of music making outdoors on primary school aged pupils (aged 7–10 years) in the soundscape of nature from the perspective of their primary school teachers. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 24,Cripping environmental education: Rethinking disability, nature, and interdependent futures
Cripping environmental education means disrupting the able-bodiedness within the field
Schmidt, J., (2022). Cripping environmental education: Rethinking disability, nature, and interdependent futures. Australian Journal of Environmental Education“It was like I was not a person, it was like I was the nature”: The impact of arts-in-nature experiences on the wellbeing of children living in areas of high deprivation
Nature and art together can support the mental and emotional well-being of children in disadvantaged communities
Moula, Z., Walshe, N., Lee, E., (2023). “It was like I was not a person, it was like I was the nature”: The impact of arts-in-nature experiences on the wellbeing of children living in areas of high deprivation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 90Teachers as learners: Outdoor elementary science
Outdoor Science Education program helps teachers learn science as 5th graders learn science
Carrier, S. J., Fraulo, A. B., Peterson, M. N., Stevenson, K. T., Romeo, L. M., (2023). Teachers as learners: Outdoor elementary science. Electronic Journal for Research in Science & Mathematics Education, 27(2),“We do it anyway”: Professional identities of teachers who enact risky play as a framework for education outdoors
Teachers’ opportunities for mentorship are essential to risky outdoor play and learning in schools
Zeni, M., Schnellert, L., Brussoni, M., (2023). “We do it anyway”: Professional identities of teachers who enact risky play as a framework for education outdoors. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental EducationEnable, reconnect and augment: A new ERA of virtual nature research and application
Immersive virtual nature experiences may enhance human-nature interactions and improve public health
Litleskare, S., MacIntyre, T. E., Calogiuri, G., (2020). Enable, reconnect and augment: A new ERA of virtual nature research and application. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(5)Elementary students’ ‘outdoor – digital’ explorations in ecology - learning through chains of transduction
Children’s learning across natural and digital environments supports developing eco-literacy
Caiman, C., Kjällander, S., (2024). Elementary students’ ‘outdoor – digital’ explorations in ecology - learning through chains of transduction. Environmental Education Research, 30(1),The effectiveness of a community-based playgroup in inspiring positive changes in the environmental attitudes and behaviours of children and their parents: A qualitative case study
Playgroups inspire pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors for both children and their caregivers
Mintoff, Z., Andersen, P., Warren, J., Elliott, S., Nicholson, C., Byfield-Fleming, H., Barber, F., (2023). The effectiveness of a community-based playgroup in inspiring positive changes in the environmental attitudes and behaviours of children and their parents: A qualitative case study. Australian Journal of Environmental EducationEnvironmental self-identity partially mediates the effects of exposure and connection to nature on urban children’s conservation behaviours
Children’s environmental self-identities, and connectedness to nature, are central to their environmental behaviors
Keith, R. J., Given, L. M., Martin, J. M., Hochuli, D. F., (2022). Environmental self-identity partially mediates the effects of exposure and connection to nature on urban children’s conservation behaviours. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 3A greening theory of change: How neighborhood greening impacts adolescent health disparities
Neighborhood greening may improve adolescent health and reduce health disparities
Kondo, M. C., Locke, D., Hazer, M., Mendelson, T., Fix, R. L., Joshi, A., Latshaw, M., Fry, D., Mmari, K., (2024). A greening theory of change: How neighborhood greening impacts adolescent health disparities. American Journal of Community PsychologyFrom program to classroom: a photo elicitation study to understand educators’ experiences implementing garden-based learning following professional development
Farm to School professional development builds educators’ confidence and professional networks
Evans, E., Green, G. T., Thompson, K. F., Abrams, J., Thompson, J. J., (2024). From program to classroom: a photo elicitation study to understand educators’ experiences implementing garden-based learning following professional development. Environmental Education ResearchEco-capabilities: Arts-in-nature for supporting nature visibilisation and wellbeing in children
An arts-in-nature program helps children connect with nature and appreciate nature’s contribution to their own wellbeing
Walshe, N., Perry, J., Moula, Z., (2023). Eco-capabilities: Arts-in-nature for supporting nature visibilisation and wellbeing in children. Sustainability, 15(16)The association between natural environments and childhood mental health and development: A systematic review and assessment of different exposure measurements
Children’s exposure to natural environments is associated with positive mental health outcomes but the overall evidence is limited by methodological differences
Davis, Z., Guhn, M., Jarvis, I., Jarrett, M., Nesbitt, L., Oberlander, T., Sbihi, H., Su, J., van den Bosch, M., (2021). The association between natural environments and childhood mental health and development: A systematic review and assessment of different exposure measurements. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 235Associations between nature exposure and health: A review of the evidence
Nature is connected to a wide array of health benefits for children and youth
Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., James, P., (2021). Associations between nature exposure and health: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9)Methodological considerations for movement education interventions in natural environments for primary school children: A scoping review
Learning in nature is a feasible intervention for promoting positive learning outcomes for children
Petrigna, L., Thomas, E., Scardina, A., Rizzo, F., Brusa, J., Camarazza, G., Galassi, C., Palma, A., Bellafiore, M., (2022). Methodological considerations for movement education interventions in natural environments for primary school children: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM:
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