The Benefits of Children's Engagement with Nature: A Systematic Literature Review

Gill, Tim

doi:10.7721/chilyoutenvi.24.2.0010

Cited by 193 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Wardle (1997) has demonstrated that physical activities in nature help foster children's communication, emotional, social, and cognitive skills, not just motor skills. Gill (2014) has underlined how, in the outdoor environment, the child is facilitated in establishing a connection between his/her individual sensory experiences, motor activities and learning; also, his/her cognitive processes can be enhanced, with positive consequences for motor development, social skills, language, and communication, among others. In the more optimistic interpretation of the data explained above (no pre-existing developmental differences; strong initial impact of the OE intervention), these results may suggest that continuous outdoor activities provide greater opportunities for teachers' attitudes to promote children's development; this may occur when teachers perceive the natural environment as an educational and developmental setting rather than only a recreational one.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Play is a fundamental activity and method of self-expression for children in the 3–5 year old age range and supports the child's development and his/her experience in making sense of the world (Soini et al, 2014). Literature shows that more playful activities (e.g., exploration) are associated with benefits related to physical activity and mental and emotional health (Gill, 2014). Also, free play has frequently shown significant positive effects on cognitive and social-emotional development, independence and creativity (Frost et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, prior research suggests that less playful activities (such as field trips) are more associated with educational benefits than health benefits (Gill, 2014). Therefore, it would seem that the kind of outdoor activities proposed by teachers in the traditional kindergarten also promoted child development but not in the same manner as the activities prompted by OE teachers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

2018

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Outdoor Education (OE) refers to organized experiential education that takes place in the outdoor, characterized by action-centered and thematic learning processes. Literature shows how OE may have beneficial effects on different areas of child development, including cognitive abilities, social skills, and motor development. This relationship is not necessarily linear, but moderated by different variables. Until now, few studies have examined, using rigorous methods, the role of OE in children's development and studies of preschool aged children remain lacking. The current study aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of children's developmental trajectories over 2 school years, investigating whether teachers' perceptions differed between two kindergartens, one characterized by a consolidated OE approach and the other one characterized by a more traditional method of education. The sample was composed of 20 teachers, evaluating 93 children aged 3–5 (M = 46.95 months, SD = 6.73; 42 males): 13 teachers were from a traditional kindergarten (Traditional Group- TG) and evaluated 52 children; 7 teachers were from an OE kindergarten (Outdoor Group—OE) and observed 41 children. All the teachers completed the Kuno Beller Developmental Tables (Mantovani, 1995), in order to describe specific child developmental areas in 4 consecutive moments during 2 school years (T1-T2: January-May 2014; T3-T4: October 2014-May 2015). The 20 teachers also completed the “Outdoor Activities/Trips Diary,” an instrument created for this study to collect qualitative data on the characteristics of outdoor activities. Results showed that, in all the developmental areas, OE teachers perceived higher scores over time were found for the Outdoor Group compared to the Traditional one. Specifically, GLM ANOVAs Repeated Measures revealed a significant interaction of the 2 variables Time and Groups (p < 0.001): contrast analyses showed that OE children, compared to the TG children, were perceived by their teachers with higher levels in all developmental areas at T1 and T2, but not at T3 and T4. The findings suggest that the OE activites, compared to indoor ones and according to teachers' perceptions, offer greater opportunities to promote the child's development at different levels, especially when children are younger. Future studies are recommended analyzing possible moderating variables and long term effects of OE.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

2018

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“…Field experiences embody the idea of active learning. The "No-Child Left Inside" movement has explored the value of outdoor experiences at the K-12 level (Louv, R., 2011;Gill, 2014), but less is known about the distinctive role of field experiences at the undergraduate level (National Research Council, 2014). Evidence suggests that extended field and marine experiences are important for undergraduates in some disciplines (Eisner, 1982;Klug, et al, 2002;Hodder, 2009;Billick et al, 2013), with positive impacts on students understanding of the scientific process, choice of STEM careers, and improved self-confidence as scientists.…”

Section: Undergraduate Field Studies: An Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape Study of Undergraduate Field Experiences: Report from the Field on the Design, Outcomes, and Assessment of Undergraduate Field Experiences

O'Connell¹,

Hoke²,

Nilson³

2018

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“…Louv's (2010) overview builds on Kaplan's (1995) premise that the natural world can have a restorative impact which helps children cope with modern life, supports adaptive processes of child development, supports learning and the development of lifelong positive attitudes to the natural world. Gill's (2014) systematic review showed access to the natural world had positive effects specifically on child mental and emotional health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Immersive Outdoor Activities in Local Woodlands on Young Carers Emotional Literacy and Well-Being

Acton¹,

Carter

2016

Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing

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Children's well-being is linked to a complex web of factors including the child's personality, inherent protective mechanisms, family relationships, social capital and economic status. Young carers are particularly at risk from poor mental health outcomes and low well-being. In this study the impact of immersive activities in nature on the well-being of eight young carers (three girls and five boys; aged 9-13 years) was explored. The immersive woodland activities included practical skills such as fire making, cooking and using tools as well as team building and activities to hep build trust.A mixed method, pre-test/post-test approach was undertaken using Emotional Literacy Checklists and interviews, poems and discussion. There were measurable improvements -specifically in motivation and self-awareness -in the young carers' emotional literacy as reported by the parents and teachers.The well-being indicators that were referenced most frequently by parents and teachers related to the children's social relationships and their development as individuals. The children reported changed related to social, physical and 'natural connection' well-being.2

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The Benefits of Children's Engagement with Nature: A Systematic Literature Review

Cited by 193 publications

References 53 publications

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories

Landscape Study of Undergraduate Field Experiences: Report from the Field on the Design, Outcomes, and Assessment of Undergraduate Field Experiences

The Impact of Immersive Outdoor Activities in Local Woodlands on Young Carers Emotional Literacy and Well-Being

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