Effective environmental education should incorporate hands-on experiences, nature contact, family engagement, and visible sustainability features rather than focusing solely on knowledge transmission

The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of research on children's pro-environmental behavior, examining studies published between 2000 and 2023. Their review revealed several important findings:

Research Approaches and Limitations: Most studies (50 out of 76) used observational designs rather than experimental approaches. The researchers noted a significant shortage of longitudinal studies, with most research using cross-sectional designs that couldn't track behavioral development over time. This is problematic because it takes time for children to demonstrate changes in attitudes and behaviors.

Measurement Challenges: The vast majority of studies relied on self-reported scales rather than observational measurements to assess children's behaviors. This approach has several limitations, including children's limited ability to comprehend verbal/textual information, potential social desirability bias (children wanting to impress adults), and challenges in accurately recalling their own behaviors.

Internal Influencing Factors:

• Environmental attitudes and values were the most frequently studied internal factors, with most studies finding statistically significant but moderate correlations with behaviors
• Self-efficacy (children's perceived ability to perform environmental behaviors) was positively correlated with behaviors, but has been understudied
• Personal norms and self-identification as environmentally responsible were associated with increased pro-environmental behavior

External Influencing Factors:

• Contact with nature emerged as a significant factor - children with more frequent exposure to natural environments demonstrated stronger environmental attachment and behaviors
• Parents played a critical role through observable behaviors that children imitated, verbal reinforcement, and direct engagement in environmental activities
• Environmental education showed mixed results, with some studies finding significant immediate increases in pro-environmental behaviors while others found no lasting changes
• Demographic factors like gender and location influenced behaviors, with females and rural children often showing more pro-environmental tendencies

Domains of Environmental Behavior: The studies covered various behavioral domains, with energy/resource conservation and recycling being the most frequently examined. Less research focused on biodiversity-related behaviors and general environmental issues. Most studies focused on private, individual actions rather than collective or public environmental behaviors.

Intergenerational Learning: Some studies found that children could act as agents of change within their families, influencing parental environmental attitudes and practices through what researchers called "intergenerational learning."

Theory Integration: The review highlighted how different theoretical frameworks (Value-Belief-Norm theory, Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Learning Theory) interact in explaining children's environmental behaviors, suggesting that internal and external factors don't operate in isolation but form a complex network of influences.

The findings provide valuable guidance for environmental education practitioners:

1. Focus on both knowledge and hands-on experience: While environmental knowledge alone doesn't guarantee pro-environmental behavior, it forms an important foundation when paired with hands-on experiences. Environmental educators should provide both informational content and opportunities for active engagement.
    
2. Increase children's contact with nature: The review strongly supports the value of exposing children to natural environments. Educators should create opportunities for children to spend time in nature, as this builds emotional connections that motivate pro-environmental behavior.
    
3. Engage parents in environmental education: Given parents' significant influence on children's behaviors, successful environmental education programs should involve parents and consider family contexts. This could include take-home activities that children can share with their families.
    
4. Consider developmental stages: Different age groups may respond differently to environmental education approaches. The review found that children in middle childhood (6-12 years) are in a critical period for developing environmental awareness and moral attitudes toward nature.
    
5. Incorporate visible sustainability features: Environmental design elements (like solar panels or water tanks) in schools and learning spaces can positively influence children's environmental awareness and behaviors.
    
6. Promote both individual and collective action: While most current approaches focus on individual behaviors (like energy conservation), environmental educators should also encourage children's participation in community-level environmental actions.
    
7. Address self-efficacy: Help children develop confidence in their ability to perform environmental behaviors, as this increases the likelihood they'll put their environmental knowledge into practice.
    
8. Use appropriate measurement tools: When assessing children's environmental learning, consider the limitations of self-reporting and adapt measurement approaches to children's developmental capabilities.
    

The authors emphasize that this research area still has significant gaps. They recommend more longitudinal studies to understand how children's environmental behaviors develop over time, better measurement methods that go beyond self-reporting, and more research on certain factors (like self-efficacy and infrastructure availability) that have been understudied. They also suggest that future research should better explore the interactions between different influencing factors rather than studying them in isolation.