The internet is the perfect place for educators and parents to find resources regarding nature based learning, and how it can benefit children. Here are some that I found that I think are great resources to check out:
Resource 1 – Link: http://www.greenheartsinc.org/uploads/A_Parents__Guide_to_Nature_Play.pdf
This is a great resource for parents to read regarding nature based learning and play. It sums up the idea of how nature play has always been an important and big part of many people childhoods, however explains how and why “nature play” has changed over last few decades. This articles also discusses the powerful and positive impacts that nature play has on children’s overall growth and development, what parents can do to restore nature play, and the three great keys to nature play.
Resource 2 – Link: https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/children-and-nature/
This is a great article that I came across recently that discusses something called “nature deficit disorder,” which defined as “the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses.” (Great Schools, 2018). It share with us the importance of nature play and how children in today’s generation, spend less time outdoors than their parents did as children.
In this article, it shares research that has been done that supports anecdotal evidence of nature’s therapeutic effects — on children, adults, and communities as a whole. It mentions that time out of doors reduces symptoms in children with ADHD. They also demonstrated a link between exposure to nature and increased self-discipline in girls, and a third study found that vegetation reduces crime in urban communities. (Great Schools, 2018)
Resource 3 – Link: https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/time-outside-can-improve-readiness-learn
The NAEYC has many articles that surround the topic of nature learning and its benefits for children. This article in particular discusses how spending time outdoors, can improve their readiness to learn inside. It is broken down into discusses the power of outdoors, and breaks down how parents can encourage their children to spend time outdoors.
#Week4
Nature Learning With Iva 