Respecting the natural environment starts in the early years.

Children learn through experience by connecting to their natural environment.

Simple connections like planting vegetables in your garden, watering plants,
making music with recyclable objects , relaxing in the sun, watching rain and
vapour form on the windows after heavy rain are all helping children make
discoveries. Children are beginning to build relationships between themselves
and others and between themselves and the world around them. Educators and
parents need to provide opportunities for children to develop a sense of wonder
about nature, and earnest engagement in discovery about the real world are the
foundation for learning in early childhood. It is vital for early childhood
environmental education programs to build this foundation. (Early Childhood
Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, 2000).

Example one

On the left are examples of children

in different childcare setting taking
ownership of watering and weeding
their vegetable and flower gardens.
They are showing growing
appreciation and care for their
gardens. This is a good example of
Froebels belief that children should
grow in harmony with nature.

According to Ruth Wilson (1994), environmental education in early childhood includes the development of a
sense of wonder; appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the natural world; opportunities to experience
the joy of closeness to nature; and respect for other creatures. It also includes the development of problemsolving skills and the development of interest and appreciation in the world around us.

Children who respect the environment feel an emotional attachment to the natural world, and
deeply understand the link between themselves and nature, will become environmentally literate
citizens.

Example two
On the left educators have set up
indoor environment with natural
recyclable materials to invite children
to explore, wonder and create their
own play ideas. Play and exploration in
the outdoors and with natural
materials indoors can help provide an
important path to the development of
understanding, compassion, and
stewardship among children.

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No7.pdf

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY

In Playing Outdoors: Spaces and Places, Risks and Challenges (2007, pp. 3738), British researcher Helen Tovey writes, Overall there is
compelling evidence for the value of outdoor play in young childrens lives and learning. It offers young children space and freedom to try things
out in an environment that can be acted on, changed, and transformed a dynamic way. The outdoor environment invites for exploration, curiosity,
and wonder. Research on natural playgrounds is demonstrating the broad benefits this paradigm shift in playground design and environmental
learning has to children by offering them play and learning in naturalized environments. Children learn by constructing their own knowledge
about the world, not by memorizing facts (Piaget 1962).
Sobel (2004) reviewed the research on naturalized playgrounds and found that they have a positive impact on childrens development of
environmental stewardship values, and the greater the diversity of the natural landscapes, the greater childrens appreciation of nature and
experiences in it.

Research provides convincing evidence of the more profound benefits of experiences in nature for children due to their greater plasticity and
vulnerability (Wells & Evans 2003). The findings indicate that:

Children with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are better able to concentrate after contact with nature
(Faber Taylor et al. 2001).

Children with views of and contact with nature score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline. The greener, the better the
scores (Faber Taylor et al. 2002, Wells 2000).

Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility, and
they are sick less often (Fjortoft 2001, Grahn et al. 1997).

When children play in natural environments, their play is more diverse with imaginative and creative play that fosters language and
collaborative skills (Faber Taylor et al. 1998, Fjortoft 2000, Moore & Wong 1997).

Exposure to natural environments improves childrens cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational
skills (Pyle 2002).

Nature buffers the impact of life stress on children and helps them deal with adversity. The greater the amount of nature exposure, the
greater the benefits (Wells 2003).

Play in a diverse natural environment reduces or eliminates anti-social behavior such as violence, bullying, vandalism and littering, as
well reduces absenteeism (Coffey 2001, Malone & Tranter 2003, Moore & Cosco 2000).

Nature helps children develop powers of observation and creativity and instills a sense of peace and being at one with the world (Crain
2001).

Early experiences with the natural world have been positively linked with the development of imagination and the sense of wonder (Cobb
1977, Louv 1991). Wonder is an important motivator for lifelong learning (Wilson 1997).

Children who play in nature have more positive feelings about each other (Moore 1996).

A decrease in childrens time spent outdoors is contributing to an increase of childrens myopia (Nowak 2004).

Natural environments stimulate social interaction between children (Moore 1986, Bixler, Floyd & Hammutt 2002).

Outdoor environments are important to childrens development of independence and autonomy (Bartlett 1996).
Retrieved from: www.kidsource.com/education/teach.environment.p.k12.3.html

THE PARENTS ROLE IN FOSTERING OUTDOOR PLAY

Good environmental education should be ubiquitous. For example, a parent and toddler are
walking on a sidewalk, and the child notices a little cluster of pebbles at the base of a driveway.
The parent waits and lets the child explore, supplying a few new words perhaps. The child runs
up an inviting pathsomeones front walk, to be sureand the parent again stops and
welcomes the child back with what did you find? Context is important in early environmental
education. Educational materials are everywhere to stimulate and enrich curiosity. The parents
role is that of a facilitator, one who nurtures the sense of wonder in children. Children nowadays
are spending most of their time in settings and activities that keep them essentially isolated from
direct contact with the natural world. Such as watching TV, travelling by cars and staying indoor
classroom (Wilson, 1996). This needs to be avoided.
Sobel (1996) believes that developing childrens empathy with the natural world
should be the main objective for children ages four to seven. Childrens experiences
during early childhood should nurture the conception of the child as a part of nature. It
is during early childhood when childrens experiences give form to the values,
attitudes, and basic orientation toward the world that they will carry with them
throughout their lives (Wilson 1994 & 1996). Regular positive interactions within
nature help children develop respect and a caring attitude for the environment. Not
only are regular experiences in nature important, but also watching adults, both
parents and teachers, modelling enjoyment of, comfort with, and respect for nature
(Cohen 1992 & Phenice & Griffore 2003, Wilson 1996).

Australian Curriculum connections

Geography
Reflect on their learning to suggest ways that they can look after a familiar place (ACHGS006)
The Countries/Places that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples belong to in the local area and why they are important to
them(ACHGK003)
Draw conclusions based on discussions of observations (ACHGS004)
Design and Technology
Identify how people design and produce familiar products, services and environments and consider sustainability to meet personal and local
community needs(ACTDEK001)
Explore needs or opportunities for designing, and the technologies needed to realise designed solutions (ACTDEP005)
Visualise, generate, develop and communicate design ideas through describing, drawing and modelling (ACTDEP006)
Use personal preferences to evaluate the success of design ideas, processes and solutions including their care for environment(ACTDEP008)
Sequence steps for making designed solutions and working collaboratively(ACTDEP009)
Cross curriculum Priorities
Sustainability

Early Years Learning Framework connections

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world; Children become responsible and show respect for the environment.