Nature experiences occur on green schoolyards, but nature-related preferences and behaviors differ by age and genderGreen schoolyards are designed to increase children’s contact with nature. To what extent they increase children’s experience of nature, however, is not well understood. A nature experience entails a negotiation process between a person and nature. This study investigated how children of different age groups use natural areas on school grounds and whether nature experiences occur there. The study also investigated children’s preferences for green or non-green areas on the school grounds and whether age groups influence each other’s use patterns.
Thirty-eight children in grades 1 - 10 participated in individual interviews focusing on their experiences, preferences, and activities in their schoolyards. The children were from three different schools in southern Germany, each school with a green schoolyard. The participating children represented an even distribution across grade levels and schools, though there was uneven distribution across grades in some of the schools. Six university students trained in interviewing children conducted the interviews on the schoolyard immediately following the children’s morning break. The interviews gathered both quantitative and qualitative data relating to the students’ (1) connectedness to nature, (2) dimensions of their nature experiences on the school grounds (aesthetic, aistetic, instrumental, scientific, conservation, and recreational), (3) preferences regarding the use of green and non-green schoolyard areas, (4) activities in green schoolyard areas, and (5) the influence of older or younger groups of children on the use of the schoolyards.
Findings indicated that aesthetic and recreational experiences were among the most frequent nature experiences; conservation nature experiences, the least frequent of the evaluated nature dimensions. The scientific nature experience dimension was the only one with a significant age effect, with younger children having more scientific nature experiences than older children. Girls also had more scientific nature experiences than boys. Most children articulated a clear preference between spending time in a green area versus a non-green area of the schoolyard. Younger children preferred to stay in green areas, while older students preferred the non-green areas. Overall, while the children reported nature experiences on the school grounds, contact with nature was not of primary importance to them. Nature experiences were more common among younger children and girls. These experiences tended to be primarily passive (aesthetic and recreational) versus active (scientific and conservation). Over a fourth of the children reported being influenced by the presence of older or younger groups of children in their decision for or against an area on the schoolyard. Almost half of them felt disturbed by other age groups on the schoolyard.
This research demonstrates that nature experiences took place on the green school grounds on a regular basis, but that these experiences were not at the center of children's activity. Their activity focus tended to be more on social communication and interaction. This research also indicates that children perceive nature on the schoolyard as part of their living environment which, over the long term, could promote a relationship to nature that does not separate people from nature.
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