Early childhood educators facilitate free, unstructured play and playful learning in nature-based settingsNatural environments can provide children with diverse opportunities to engage in play behaviors that support healthy social, emotional, and cognitive development. Because of such beneficial outcomes, interest in the nature-based outdoor spaces in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings has grown in recent years. A key aspect to consider is how ECEC teachers facilitate young children’s play in natural spaces. An examination of the link between the educational opportunities offered by natural environments and teachers’ supportive actions is needed to improve understanding of teachers’ roles in outdoor settings. This systematic review, therefore, explored the existing literature to clarify how teachers in ECEC settings support children’s play in nature-based outdoor spaces.
A search of several academic databases was conducted to identify empirical, peer-reviewed studies that examined teachers’ support of children’s (age 1-8) play in nature-based outdoor spaces in ECEC settings. Only studies published between 2002 and 2023 and written in English, Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish were considered for inclusion in the review. Studies conducted in non-natural outdoor settings (e.g., playgrounds, ECEC outdoor spaces, parks, and museums) were excluded from the review. To be included, studies were required to describe teachers’ support for children’s play in nature-based outdoor spaces. Teachers’ support was defined to include actions that facilitate play, the use of play-based approaches to support children’s learning and development, and interactions with children in play situations. The search identified 18 qualitative studies from seven different countries (Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Canada, New Zealand, and Denmark). An assessment of study quality rated the reviewed studies as medium or high quality. Findings across the studies were synthesized using a meta-ethnography approach.
Synthesis of the reviewed studies focused on describing: (1) locations, participants, and characteristics of the environments, (2) aims and methods, (3) core concepts of play and teachers’ support of play, and (4) how teachers support children’s play in nature-based outdoor spaces. The studies’ descriptions of the locations and characteristics of the environments showed that the ECEC program settings featured rugged terrain and natural materials and were mostly located in woodlands and forests within walking distance of ECEC sites. Participants in the studies ranged from one to 100 children (ages 1-8) and one to 20 ECEC teachers. Most of the studies (11) employed ethnographic methods; however, their aims and research questions varied. The studies were mainly focused on investigating developmental and learning outcomes, educational practices, and pedagogical approaches. Only two studies were primarily focused on examining educators’ support of children’s play. Although the studies provided rich descriptions of children’s play in natural environments, support of children’s play was not a central aim of the research overall. Conceptualizations of play varied across studies. Play was framed as self-directed (free and unstructured play), social and symbolic (imaginative and creative play), as a learning pedagogy (play-based learning), or as risky play.
In 14 studies, teachers’ support of play in nature-based outdoor spaces was largely described as encouraging and facilitating children’s free, unstructured play. In this role, teachers encouraged play by “rousing the children’s wonder and curiosity” or by demonstrating how elements of nature could be used in pretend play. Teachers also provided space for children to follow their own interests and choose their own activities. In these instances, play was mainly undisturbed by teachers, with teachers absent from play interactions or observing from a distance. Free play was sometimes discussed as challenging the traditional child–adult dichotomy. In nine studies, play was described as teacher-led or teacher-guided. This type of support for play was often characterized by interactions where teachers and children communicated or collaborated in playful situations. Teacher-guided play was described as both child-centered and teacher-initiated playful learning. Through this type of support, “teachers provided positive experiences and playful interactions: motivating, offering advice, explaining, clarifying, challenging, and extending children’s learning and development.” The reviewed studies also showed how free, unstructured play and teacher-led or guided play often “arise together and overlap each other.”
Findings of the review suggest that ECEC teachers view play “as important both in and of itself and as an instrument for more teacher-led and teacher-guided learning situations.” The researchers conclude that “altogether, the results provide partially overlapping descriptions of teachers who facilitate external conditions for children’s free and unstructured play and teachers who interact intentionally in the children’s play, often with a learning objective.” The review also calls attention to teachers’ individual preferences for facilitating play, with teachers often having their own unique approach to play in nature-based outdoor spaces. Overall, findings suggest that teachers’ roles center on facilitating the conditions for children’s play while also remaining aware of how their interactions and participation provide opportunities for children’s autonomy, development, learning, and social and emotional support.
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