Toddlerhood (1-2 yrs)

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is important to integrate into all ages of learning. In Sweden, ESD for preschoolers currently consists of teaching about the environment, and less so about environmental issues and solutions. There are two common methods of teaching to preschoolers. Normative teaching practice is defined as using traditional teaching methods to teach children, it is fact-based, such as teaching kids what can be recycled. The teacher has a crucial influence on the learning in this context.

As the threats of climate change and ecological endangerment become more complex, the need for education about ecological endangerment in schools must be a priority. It is often anthropocentrism, the view that humans are the center of the universe, that produces such harmful views of natural surroundings as places of exploitation for humans. In this study, children ages 2 to 12 years old visited the endangered Noorook Yalgorup-Lake Clifton thrombolites in Australia.

Spending time in natural settings has proven to be physically and psychologically beneficial for humans, and environmental education aims to reconnect youth to nature. However, it has become a reality that children and young people spend less time outdoors, which has been dubbed, nature-deficit disorder. The London-based Green Spaces, Learning Places (GSLP) creates opportunities for children to engage with their environment through interactive learning sessions in the United Kingdom's parks, heaths, and forests.

Environmental education has traditionally focused on increasing knowledge and encouraging pro-environmental behavior but has paid little attention to the emotional needs of its audience. Research shows that climate change disasters can cause lasting mental health impacts in children, and merely learning about climate change may harm a child's mental health. In addition, children are affected by adults' emotional states when experiencing or learning about climate change. Media articles indicate that parents and teachers seek advice on ways to speak to children about climate change.

Environmental education should promote positive relationships to self, community, and the natural world. Garden spaces are frequently used as locations for environmental education programs, and in this study the researchers hoped to deeply analyze garden-based learning programs to evaluate how these programs impact participants. This study focused on findings from three garden-based programs that the researchers had observed.

In early childhood outdoor classrooms loose parts are a popular tool for engaging children. Loose parts are objects children play with and manipulate, such as sticks and rocks found on the ground. The theory of loose parts, described as a method to promote creativity and healthy development in children through self-guided play, was first coined in the early 1970s. However, although the theory has grown in use, no distinct definition of loose parts exists for researchers and practitioners.

Children are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change, yet have great capacity to be environmental change agents. This capacity is rooted in the skills developed during early childhood when children begin learning how to meet their own needs. Previous research indicates that problem-solving skills and abilities are important to address climate change, but little research exists on the specific role of parents in instilling skills of climate change mitigation and adaptation within the child.

Spending time in nature during early childhood can be formative and can profoundly influence the development of positive environmental behaviors, attitudes, and ethics. Studies show that nature play can help children develop skills and capacities to learn, focus, and assess risk; inspire creativity and imagination; and promote physical health. Given the benefits of spending time in nature, children should have opportunities to learn in and experience nature.

Families can learn from each other about science, so it is important to understand what families consider as learning opportunities. Families may learn through the social constructivist lens, meaning that learning depends on how participants interact with and interpret their environment. Previous research considers social constructivist learning more effective than the transmission mode, in which an instructor teaches information to passive learners.

Education is an essential tool to prepare students to address the sustainability issues that impact them now and in the future. Education for Sustainability (EfS) has been introduced in some primary and secondary curriculums, but EfS has not been well integrated into early childhood education (ECE) (below 8 years of age). Research shows a lack of sustainability knowledge and confidence among educators to incorporate sustainability into ECE curriculum.