Children & Nature Network

Farm Sprouts is a farm-based and nature-based preschool program designed to support the learning and positive development of young children in the context of the natural world. The program is framed around environmental stewardship, food systems, and nature. An evaluation of the Farm Sprouts program focused on the potential impact of the program on children's learning, their behavior, and family engagement.

This theoretical/conceptual paper proposes three key lessons ecopsychology might gain from Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (ITEK). While ITEK refers to a type of knowledge, the scope of what this term really means extends beyond cognitive understandings. For environmentalism, this may mean moving from the head to the heart and from facts to emotions. ITEK as viewed by Indigenous people refers more to a way of life than a body of knowledge. In fact, a key theme of ITEK concerns people's lived relationships with the natural world in which they live.

Children are increasingly aware of climate change, and it can affect their emotions and mental well-being. Mental wellbeing can be affected by climate change in three ways: direct impact, such as trauma from a climate change weather event; indirect effects from shifts in social determinants of health, such as stress from income insecurity resulting from climate change; and negative emotional responses from awareness of an imminent threat from climate change.

Climate change poses a serious threat to both the physical and mental health of the human population, with children being one of the more vulnerable groups. Until recently, the mental health impacts of climate change have received little attention. This paper provides a current summary of the adverse mental health impacts of climate change from the perspective of Clinical Psychology, while also issuing a call for a new field of study reflecting an overlap between “Clinical Psychology” and “Ecopsychology”.

The impact of climate change can be experienced directly or indirectly and can relate to both physical and mental health. The mental health impacts have been less well-researched than the physical health impacts, yet some evidence suggests that they can be equally devastating. While the involvement of youth in environmental issues has increased recently, little is known about the impact of climate change awareness (indirect exposure) on their mental health and wellbeing. This study addressed this issue by exploring adolescents' thoughts and feelings about current environmental issues.

Indigenous and First Nation communities tend to be more connected with nature, but this is not the case for other human communities. This has led to non-Indigenous individuals viewing themselves as separate from nature, with less affection, identity, and empathy associated with nature. This lack of connectedness to the natural world impacts environmental action and sustainability. Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) suggests that an immersed and observational experience in nature is important for individuals to be engaged in a deeper understanding of ecological crises.

Green and blue spaces are associated with an array of mental and physical benefits. Accordingly, the availability of these spaces is important, especially in dense or compact cities. Measuring equity of access, however, is complex. Many studies do not distinguish between types of nature (e.g., natural forest versus managed vegetation) that may provide different benefits. Studies typically leave out blue space availability, which is an important consideration for island countries, such as Singapore.

Outdoor activities are major contributors to young children's holistic development, yet outdoor time for many children in early childhood programs tends to be limited. A qualitative meta-synthesis of the published research was conducted to gain a better understanding of the outdoor activities and environment included in early childhood education in Turkey.

Multiple studies have shown how living near and utilizing natural spaces can greatly benefit children's social and emotional wellbeing. Being outside can increase attention, buffer against stress, and support social and emotional development. Much of the related research, however, has focused on young children. This study adds to the research base by exploring how the availability of natural spaces for older children could impact their social, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing.

Research supports the idea that urban green space (UGS) can positively impact the mental health and resilience of people living in cities. This proved to be particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, proximity to UGS is not equal. Lower income communities generally have less access to UGS than more advantaged communities. Closures and movement restrictions during COVID made accessing UGS even more difficult. This study examined the equity of access to UGS in Mexico City, a COVID hotspot with wealth disparities and environmental issues.