Many educators hope children leave their sessions feeling closer to nature. That matters, because children who feel connected to nature tend to care more about protecting it and report greater wellbeing. So what helps that bond grow?
The researchers reviewed 28 studies that measured nature connection in children from toddlers to 19-year-olds, in countries including the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Turkey and Portugal. Below are some of the results.
1. Families come first. Children whose parents felt close to nature, or whose families valued nature, felt closer to it too. In a study of children aged 1 to 8, this link held even after accounting for whether the child attended a nature preschool.
2. Younger children are more open. Connection tended to fall as children got older. Younger children also responded more to nature programs, and the changes lasted longer. Several studies found girls more connected than boys, though not all did.
3. Quality counts, not just quantity. Children at a nature preschool were more connected, and more so the longer they had attended. Yet a large study in England found that how often children visited nature made no difference. The authors point to the quality of the time instead. Greener schoolyards with gardens were also linked to stronger connection.
4. Some activities stand out. Quiet, solo activities such as meditation or fishing were linked more strongly than group activities like sports. Mindful moments, choosing their own activities, and talking about feelings were also linked to stronger connection. In one program, children named their feelings at each stop on a walk, then drew them back in class. Their connection rose.
5. Weather and mood matter. On one residential program, the group sent home early by heavy rain and flood risk came back less connected. The group with clear skies gained. Children who felt more positive were more connected.
6. Not every program shifts things. A salamander project, classroom bird feeders and a year of biodiversity lessons made no difference. A nature app that prompted children to look closely worked as well as a paper map or an educator.
What this means for your practice
• Bring families in. The authors recommend programs for parents and children together. You might invite parents along, send home ideas for family time outdoors, or share what children discovered.
• Start early and keep it regular. If you work with young children, frequent, sustained time in nature fits what the review found.
• Aim for enjoyable, not just more. Rather than counting visits, ask whether children are enjoying themselves and noticing what's around them.
• Build in quiet. Try ending a session with five minutes of silence.
• Let children choose. Offer options such as climbing, shelter building, crafts or scavenger hunts, and let children decide.
• Talk about feelings. Pause to ask, "How are you feeling here?" Then give children a way to share it afterward, such as drawing.
• Plan for the weather. Good shelter and clothing help stop bad weather from spoiling the experience.
• Think about who you reach. The authors suggest shaping some programs with boys or older children in mind.
Return to Early-Childhood and Nature-Based Learning Collection
The Bottom Line
The researchers brought together 28 studies that measured how connected children and teens feel to nature, to find out what goes along with a stronger connection. They sorted the findings into six groups: age and sex, personal traits, feelings, family, where children live, and what they do outdoors. Families stood out. Children whose parents feel close to nature tend to feel closer to nature themselves. Younger children were more open to nature programs. The quality of time outdoors mattered more than simply how often children went. Quiet moments, choice, and sharing feelings were all linked to a stronger connection. Groups that had bad weather on field programs gained less. For educators, the review points to involving families, planning for the weather, and designing outdoor time that children enjoy and help shape.