“Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart." - Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods
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We believe in the science of early childhood education, and that as professionals, research should guide our practice. Studies have revealed the importance of high-quality early childhood education in developing successful, healthy, global citizens and how engaging and spending time in nature can promote further developmental gains. According to current research, extended time in nature promotes:
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- Opportunities for children to engage in hours of unstructured play in the natural world, resulting in greater self-discipline and creativity (Williams, 2018)
- Development of physical strength, balance, and coordination (Natural, 2001)
- Measured risk-taking, and builds resilience, self-esteem, and good judgment (Harper, 2020) (Blackwell, 2005)
- A reduction in stress levels (Alvarsson, 2010)
- Significantly higher gains in cooperation and conflict resolution (Effects, 2005)
- Improved confidence, social skills, language and communication, motivation, and concentration (O’Brien, 2007)
- Varied opportunities to engage and support children’s overall development, including developing engagement and interest, empathy, and a sense of wonder (Merrick, 2015)
- A foundation for environmental literacy (Merrick, 2015)
Woodland Nursery School takes place 100% outdoors. We see the many benefits firsthand and strive to use nature and our enriching outdoor classroom as partners in our full-sensory learning experiences. Children are innate naturalists and their wonder, joy, and attention is enhanced by our natural world.
Sources:
Merrick, Christy. “An Interview with Natural Start’s Director, Charles Yaple.” NAAEE. September, 2015 link
“Effects of Outdoor Education Programs for Children in California.” American Institutes for Research. January 27, 2005. link
Williams, Connor. “The Perks of a Play-in-the-Mud Educational Philosophy.” The Atlantic. April 26, 2018. article link
“The Natural Environment as a Playground for Children: The Impact of Outdoor Play Activities in Pre-Primary School Children.” Early Childhood Education Journal 29(2) 111-117. January 2001.
Alvarsson, Jesper. Wiens, Stefan. Nilsson, Mats. “Stress Recovery during Exposure to Nature Sound and Environmental Noise.”. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010 Mar; 7(3): 1036–1046. 2010 Mar 11. link
O’Brien, Liz, Murray, Richard. “Forest School and its impacts on young children: Case Studies in Britain. Science Direct. Volume 6, Issue 4, 2007,Pages 249-265 link
Blackwell, S., ‘Forest schools; if you go down to the woods today,’ Horizon, 31, Autumn 2005, pp 10-15 link
Harper, Nevin. Obee, Patricia. “Articulating outdoor risky play in early childhood education: voices of forest and nature school practitioners.” Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning. 21(2). August 2020.
Merrick, Christy. “An Interview with Natural Start’s Director, Charles Yaple.” NAAEE. September, 2015 link
“Effects of Outdoor Education Programs for Children in California.” American Institutes for Research. January 27, 2005. link
Williams, Connor. “The Perks of a Play-in-the-Mud Educational Philosophy.” The Atlantic. April 26, 2018. article link
“The Natural Environment as a Playground for Children: The Impact of Outdoor Play Activities in Pre-Primary School Children.” Early Childhood Education Journal 29(2) 111-117. January 2001.
Alvarsson, Jesper. Wiens, Stefan. Nilsson, Mats. “Stress Recovery during Exposure to Nature Sound and Environmental Noise.”. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010 Mar; 7(3): 1036–1046. 2010 Mar 11. link
O’Brien, Liz, Murray, Richard. “Forest School and its impacts on young children: Case Studies in Britain. Science Direct. Volume 6, Issue 4, 2007,Pages 249-265 link
Blackwell, S., ‘Forest schools; if you go down to the woods today,’ Horizon, 31, Autumn 2005, pp 10-15 link
Harper, Nevin. Obee, Patricia. “Articulating outdoor risky play in early childhood education: voices of forest and nature school practitioners.” Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning. 21(2). August 2020.