How does nature impact child development?
Margarett Hessel
2025-07-20 08:01:52
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: 20
Nature provides many lifelong benefits across physical health, mental health and academic competency. A healthy exposure to Vitamin D promotes bone health and helps minimize issues related to diabetes and heart disease. Even playing with dirt has shown to reduce anxiety and stress levels in children. Introducing different natural environments to children can help them think beyond their immediate surroundings and build well-rounded perspectives. Nature-based learning and education improves a child’s academic performance and critical thinking. When children don’t get outdoors, they miss out on valuable experiences that can enrich their physical, cognitive and mental development. Nature helps kids learn about their world and introducing children to the diversity of nature—from unique animals to differing landscapes and climates—can encourage them to build an appreciation for the world around them and help them understand their place within it. By allowing children to identify with their surroundings, we're helping them develop their own appreciation for nature and, over time, a recognition that these places are worth conserving.
Abdiel Walsh
2025-07-12 04:53:17
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: 17
Kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. It builds confidence. The way that kids play in nature has a lot less structure than most types of indoor play. It promotes creativity and imagination. This unstructured style of play also allows kids to interact meaningfully with their surroundings. It teaches responsibility. Living things die if mistreated or not taken care of properly, and entrusting a child to take care of the living parts of their environment means they’ll learn what happens when they forget to water a plant, or pull a flower out by its roots. It provides different stimulation. Nature may seem less stimulating than a video game, but in reality, it activates more senses — you can see, hear, smell, and touch outdoor environments. It gets kids moving. Most ways of interacting with nature involve more exercise than sitting on the couch. It reduces stress and fatigue. According to the Attention Restoration Theory, urban environments require what’s called directed attention, which forces us to ignore distractions and exhausts our brains. In natural environments, we practice an effortless type of attention known as soft fascination that creates feelings of pleasure, not fatigue.
Jamar Torp
2025-07-08 21:17:33
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: 16
Nature provides a dynamic and interactive environment that stimulates children’s cognitive development. Exploring different natural settings—whether it’s a desert landscape in Arizona, a coastal area in Florida, or the greenery of Texas—encourages children to engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Observing wildlife, studying plant life, and experiencing varying weather conditions all contribute to a deeper understanding of the world. Outdoor play is integral to physical development. Activities like climbing, running, and exploring not only build motor skills but also promote overall fitness. The natural world offers a variety of textures and terrains that challenge young bodies and encourage physical resilience. Nature has a calming effect on children, reducing stress and anxiety. The natural environment provides a safe space for children to interact, share, and learn from one another. Introducing children to nature early on instills a sense of wonder and respect for the environment.
Donnie Olson
2025-06-26 20:29:25
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: 14
Not only does nature increase our ability to cope with stress and is associated with lower levels of poor mental health such as depression and anxiety - it also facilitates child development.
Nature and development are connected in several ways.
Experts at Harvard have found that regular time in nature can be an effective way to improve children’s executive functioning skills, helping them to become better at planning, prioritisation, multitasking, and an increased attention span among other things.
Higher cognitive functioning can have significant benefits for children's academic and social success, as well as their overall well-being.
Nature may promote learning by improving children’s attention, levels of stress, self-discipline, interest, and enjoyment in learning.
The Environment as the Integrating Context study found that environmental-based education resulted in: Higher grades and better reading, writing and math scores, Fewer disciplinary problems, Increased engagement and enthusiasm, Pride and ownership in accomplishments.
Spending time in green spaces can be an important factor in promoting children’s social and emotional development.
It allows children to connect with others, build relationships, and develop a sense of self-worth, which can have long-lasting benefits for their well-being and success in life.
As children grow, this increase in development can result in higher school attainment and lead to greater opportunities in the future, providing children with more ways to effectively contribute to their wellbeing, the community and our planet.
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