How to engage children with nature: Why not just let them play?
Free and spontaneous play is more effective than planned activities in promoting children’s interaction with nature
This study investigated how children interact with nature through organized events with varying degrees of adult management and planning — from very organized and well-planned to more simple and open-ended. The study involved qualitative fieldwork in events organized by the Norwegian nationwide Children’s Trekking Club, a program designed to help children gain nature experiences and feel the joy of nature. The Children’s Trekking Club offers a wide range of activities throughout the year — from simple trips to nearby nature to large events with many activities. Many of the events are family-oriented and open to the public.
Data collection involved observation of the participants during 13 different Children’s Trekking Club events representing different degrees of pre-planning, amount of activities offered, and different degrees of adults’ engagement with children. The researchers used “focus points” in conducting their observations, including observations about (1) the kind of activities offered and how they were facilitated, (2) who participated in the activities and how, (3) the type of social interactions taking place in different situations, and (4) the kind of nature contact that was occurring. For most of the activities, the researchers started on the periphery of activities, and, then — as they felt it was appropriate — initiated contact and, at times, participated in the activities. Conversations with the participants were also used as a part of the data collection process; researchers asked questions and engaged in conversations with the participants as they felt it was appropriate to do so.
Observations for this study were conducted in both large group and small group events. For the large events, the number of participants varied from 11 children in a “children’s only” event to about 100 children in a sledging event. The number of participants in the smaller events ranged from one family with two children to several families with a total of eleven children. For the larger events – which often included a number of different organized activities — the activities seemed to be the main focus with nature serving as a frame for the activities. For these events, children’s interaction with nature was very limited. This was especially so during the organized activities. Closer interaction between children and also closer interaction with natural elements were found in-between or after the main activities.
For the smaller events, there were fewer participants and they tended to stay in one place for a longer time. Additionally, participating adults took a more relaxed and less intrusive approach; and there were fewer formally organized activities. Findings indicated that with the smaller events, more interaction occurred between children and with nature.
The researchers concluded “children come closer to each other and to the natural environment in events where there are fewer participants, in which they stay in one place for a long time and where there are not too many planned activities. An important factor contributing to the increased interaction between children and between children and nature is that adults take a more backseat and low key role, so that the children’s play can develop on its own terms,”.
Citation
Skar, M., Gundersen, V., O'Brien, L., (2016). How to engage children with nature: Why not just let them play?. Children's Geographies, 14(5),
