The social and emotional wellbeing effects of nature play for young children

Abstract

In many places, regular contact with nature is becoming scarce for children due to urbanisation and sedentary lifestyles linked to the use of digital technologies. Estimates are that children in developed countries such as the US, UK and Australia spend up to 90% of their time indoors. Children spend much less time in nature than their parents and previous generations. Evidence suggests that spending life indoors can be problematic for children’s development and wellbeing, with potential negative short- and long-term implications. This presentation provides an overview of the evidence from a literature review of research on the social and emotional wellbeing effects of nature play for children. We will focus on early childhood (0-5 years), a critical time when a child’s relationship to nature first develops, however, the content is also relevant for older age groups. We will describe the evidence for what nature play is, how it is defined, what its key features are, and how it is beneficial for children’s social and emotional wellbeing. We will highlight some key elements of successful initiatives to enhance the wellbeing of children through nature play. The presentation will provide key insights into understanding the importance of nature play for children’s development and wellbeing. It will also describe the strengths and limitations of evidence on nature play and discuss what this means for research and practice.

Reference

Alla, K., Truong, M., & MacDonald, J. B. (2024). The social and emotional wellbeing effects of nature play for young children. Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, 11–14 June. Melbourne, Australia. (Paper)