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Mental health isn't just about clinical care — it’s about the environments where children live, learn and play. Evidence shows that nature connection can enhance children’s mental...

Communities trying to increase equitable access to nature face many barriers. Still, some cities and organizations have found ways to connect children...

Want to introduce your kiddos to art? On a rainy first trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, England, with her toddler, author Hannah Davies makes the case for skipping the hush-hush and hands-off of the museum and going outdoors instead. “No white walls. No string barriers. No alarms. No beady-eyed gallery attendants. Just a whole lot of green space in which to charge about and come across awe-inspiring art while you’re at it.” Across 500 acres of fields, woodland and gardens, children can discover (and touch!) art, while making bark rubbings, gathering twigs and exploring the Hidden Forest designed for under-fives. Where art and nature connection are entwined, both feel more playful and less intimidating. The Guardian.

What happens when we no longer know the names of the plants, birds and animals around us? Researchers and educators say that if everything is just “bird” or “tree,” much of the natural world fades into the background, weakening our relationship to nature — and our ability to care for it. But there’s hope! We can rebuild that bond for children (and ourselves!) by learning the specific names of things in the natural world. Joining community science projects and using identification apps can help. The payoff is big: Learning names sparks curiosity, strengthens memory and turns ordinary surroundings into places of wonder, relationship and care. Resilience.

It’s time to get our feet dirty. From Germany’s Black Forest to northern Arizona, barefoot trails are designed to help visitors experience the outdoors with all their senses. Walkers squish through cool mud, step on pine needles, explore meditation caves and test different textures beneath their feet. The idea has roots in 19th-century Europe, and a growing interest in “grounding,” or “earthing,” touts the benefits of standing barefoot on the earth, claiming improvements in emotional well-being, sleep and inflammation. In Arizona, one trail founder was inspired to create a U.S. version after visiting parks in Europe with her family. She now offers school visits, camps and educational programs for children. The bigger goal, she says, is “integrating those natural environments into people’s daily lives.” Associated Press.

High school student Dyami Mason wants people to understand what could be lost when outdoor learning programs are cut. In this passionate editorial, Mason writes about the TEAM program at his school in San Anselmo, California, which hosts backpacking trips, leadership challenges and time in nature. Despite its popularity, the program is at threat of being reduced. “Programs like TEAM are not a break from education; rather, they are a powerful form of it,” Mason explains, noting that its format helps participants build independence, teamwork and real-world skills. Pointing to research that suggests time in nature can boost focus and classroom engagement, Mason argues that programs like TEAM help make school meaningful for all students. Point Reyes Light.

Dear adults, our kids are braver and more capable than we think! In this story, climbing guides argue that rock climbing can help children discover confidence and resilience — by doing things they didn’t know they could do. One guide recalls an 8-year-old camper who was frightened during a climb. When she reached the top, all her fear had fallen away, and she declared it her favorite day of camp. The guides offer practical tips for getting kids climbing: Begin in the gym, emphasize fun, and build community with other families. Along the way, they reinforce the benefits of managed risk: “We’re giving them real responsibilities,” a guide said, mentioning activities like checking their knots. “It’s good for them to practice and learn that they can be trusted.” Gripped.

Blowing bubbles, breathing salty ocean air, collecting violet blooms — sounds like good medicine! At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the Prescribe Outside program helps doctors write “nature prescriptions” for their patients. With support from the Children & Nature Network’s Nature Everywhere initiative, more than 50 providers across six CHOP locations have written prescriptions, reaching some 1,300 families and children. The prescriptions are tailored to each family and might include playing soccer with neighbors or exploring nearby parks. Working with partners, the program also offers organized hikes, outdoor yoga, farm tours and other family outings. Bonus: Some events welcome hospital staff, too, helping caregivers enjoy the same stress-relieving benefits they prescribe. Philadelphia.

Recently, a childhood friend reached out. She’d been thinking about long friendships and missing me. “I have the most vivid memories of sitting up in your neighbor’s...

Public policy and funding decisions at all levels of government directly impact children’s ability to engage with and learn from nature. Policies and advocacy efforts around the...

As a university student in Colombia, Caro Muñoz Agudelo dreaded entomology class: She was terrified of the creepy crawlies. But one day her professor set a cockroach on her hand, and she found herself more fascinated than afraid. It was a turning point: She joined the entomology club, earned a Ph.D. in organismal and evolutionary biology — and now has built a career studying the insects she once feared. In this inspiring profile, Agudelo shares her belief that time in nature helps us understand who we are: “You are just like one more element in this gorgeous environment, gorgeous planet.” Her advice to parents? Don’t let your fears shape your children’s relationship with the outdoors. Support their curiosity instead. New England Public Media.

Sometimes, it takes a village to get kids onto the ski slopes. In Hamtramck, Michigan, where many families are newer immigrants from places like Bangladesh, Yemen and Syria, barriers to skiing can be steep: cost, gear, distance, language, cultural unfamiliarity and parents understandably cautious about a trip hours from home. But for the past five winters, a busload of local teens has found a joyful workaround. In this uplifting story, community partners join forces to make an annual ski trip possible, providing lodging, gear, transportation, mentors — and even a school fundraiser for food. After a day on the slopes, students, teachers and volunteers gather around chicken biryani, pierogi, basmati rice, Yemeni tea and baklava — flavors of home shared with new friends. Sierra Club.

At a nature park in Kyiv, families crowded around volunteers releasing rescued bats into the spring twilight — cheering with each flight. Many of the bats had been saved from war-damaged areas, where shelling can destroy habitat and interrupt hibernation. Children in bat-themed hats watched volunteers feed the bats mealworms with tweezers, and some even got to put on gloves and gently hold the animals. In Ukraine, all bat species are protected, and rescuers say they have saved more than 30,000 so far. As one father at the event put it: “The war is the main thing right now, but there has to be something else as well.” Associated Press.

Nadeem Perera spent his childhood in east London following the nighttime hijinks of foxes, watching rabbits hop in desolate airport fields and rescuing hedgehogs from errant yogurt containers. In this lively piece, the naturalist reminds us that kids don’t need a trip to the countryside to discover wildlife — nature is threaded through city life. He shares practical ways to help urban children notice the wild world around them. Among his actionable tips: Teach your child one neighborhood bird really well, turn the walk to school into a nature trail, and don’t rush to shut down fascination with gross, smelly and potentially scary stuff, like animal poo and wasp nests. The Times.

In 1994, I made what some thought was a radical decision: I left my busy life in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved my family to our weekend farm...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of several U.S. cities that’s joined the growing nature prescription movement. Nature prescriptions are formal recommendations from healthcare professionals that encourage patients to...

“Being outdoors and doing activities does wonders for wellbeing,” says opinion writer James Blake. “It increases confidence, connection and sense of belonging. That’s vital given researchers say the strain on children’s mental health is ‘unprecedented.’” Last year, Scotland passed legislation that guarantees every child gets a “residential outdoor education experience” during their school years. If properly funded, all students would spend at least four nights and five days learning outside. In this piece, Blake argues England should follow suit. Outdoor education, he writes, should be a right for every child — not a privilege. Hear, hear! Politics.

At a public early childhood school in São Paulo, Brazil, children leave the classroom and head to a “little forest” — planted by other students just a few years earlier. There, they play with leaves, branches and fruit from more than 100 native trees, connecting with nature through exploration. It’s a rare experience. In Brazil’s capital cities, 43.5% of young children attend schools without green space, and access is even more limited in poorer, predominantly Black communities. Yet as climate change intensifies, the need for these spaces is increasingly urgent. In early childhood — when 90% of brain development takes place — extreme heat and limited nature contact can disrupt healthy development. Experts say even small solutions, like rooftop gardens, wall vines or green pathways, can help. Valor International.

At Kids and Kins Child Care Centre in Singapore, toddlers gather eggs, feed chickens and harvest fruit in a lush garden designed to mimic living in a kampung (traditional village). By caring for animals and tending plants, children learn responsibility and build a sense of empathy for the natural world. It’s just one example in this sweet article about Singapore preschools that are getting kids outside everyday. The educators point out that time in the outdoors encourages not just nature connection but learning. “We recognise the strong relationship between physical movement and cognitive development,” one teacher explains. “Open-ended materials encourage construction, negotiation and problem-solving, while calibrated risks build judgment, confidence and resilience.” Beanstalk.

PSA: Don’t skip that daily dose of Vitamin N. It could be fundamental to how you think, feel and cope. In a global study of more than 38,000 people across 75 countries, researchers examined “nature connectedness,” which they defined as seeing nature as part of one’s identity and feeling an emotional bond with the natural world. They found that people who felt more connected to nature consistently reported higher well-being, including greater life satisfaction, hope, resilience and mindfulness — patterns that held across cultures, ages and economic contexts. As policymakers look for ways to address both environmental and mental health challenges, the findings point to a shared solution. Reconnecting with nature, the authors suggest, “is not a luxury but a fundamental — and widely shared — human need.” The Conversation.

Wish you had more quality time with your kids — and can you quit your day job? Consider thru-hiking: Long-distance treks that span hundreds or even thousands of miles, often over months at a time. Reporter David Gleisner talks to families who have taken on iconic trails like the Pacific Crest and Appalachian, hiking together through snow, rain and long, demanding days. The challenges are many, including heavy packs, a slow pace and wet, hangry kiddos. But most say the benefits of these big adventures outweigh the costs: There’s time to talk, to count salamanders and jump in creeks, to experience big gratitude for nature — and to learn how to push through the hard parts. Though thru-hiking might not be for every family or lifestyle, the article offers lessons that could be implemented by any family looking to integrate nature into their day-to-day. Outside.

April is National Gardening Month. For kids, gardens can be a muddy delight — and fantastic classrooms. “We can teach a lot through gardening,” said Donna Aufdenberg, an horticulture specialist. “So many activities that are, yes, gardening, but are also math- or art-oriented.” In this brief article, Aufdenberg shares kid-friendly projects that build skills and spark curiosity, from making seed tapes with flour paste to designing butterfly gardens and planting salad boxes. Along the way, children practice measuring, explore color and shape, and take pride in growing their own food. News-Press Now.

On Eid mornings, I'd walk up and down the stairs of our 6-story housing complex in Bhawani Peth, Pune, India, proudly balancing bowls of sheer khurma on...

Working to protect and conserve wildlife and wild spaces, women conservation leaders have been crucial in driving the 20th century conservation movement in the United States and beyond. Read about the women who have advocated for places like Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and the Everglades, as well as protecting wildlife like the gray wolf and bringing attention to important issues like the system-wide negative effects of pollution. And one of our own is named — our Founders’ Council member Fran P. Mainella, who was the first woman Director of the National Park Service. Here’s to Women’s History Month — and women’s present and future, too. The Wilderness Society.

The London, U.K.-based nonprofit Dose of Nature — which offers an outdoor therapy course — is seeing better mental health outcomes than popular forms of talk therapy, with a recovery rate of 64% compared to talk therapy’s 50%. The Dose of Nature course is prescribed by GPs and begins with an assessment and discussion with a psychologist. Clients are then paired with a trained volunteer guide for weekly sessions outside, where they benefit from serotonin-boosting sunshine and the phytochemicals emitted by trees and plants that can decrease stress hormones. An independent assessment by the London School of Economics found that the program works and is cost effective, with clinically meaningful benefits that are worth eight times the cost of the nature prescription. The Guardian.

We know that nature access in early childhood — from birth to age five — is key to children’s healthy development. But what about nature access before birth? A new study from the University of Illinois Chicago found that pregnant people living in greener neighborhoods were more likely to give birth to babies with higher birth weights (an indicator of health). This finding held true, even when taking into account variables such as air pollutants and socioeconomic status. Greener neighborhoods facilitate exercise, stress recovery and relaxation; reduce adverse environmental exposures; and create opportunities for social connections — all factors that could positively affect health at birth. The study authors suggest integrating urban greening, mindfulness in nature, and nature walking groups for pregnant people. UIC Today.

In this article, writer Trương Huỳnh Như Trân describes the gardens she’s loved, from her childhood garden in the Vietnamese countryside with mango trees, bougainvillea blossoms and jackfruit leaves, to the rooftop terrace in Hồ Chí Minh City where she tended vegetables and flowers as an adult. Trân writes “for children and about nature,” a calling that she describes as her “natural stream,” saying, “Only when I write about nature do I feel completely immersed, as if the stream never runs dry.” She continues, “I find nature so wondrous and beautiful that I want to tell children about it, like a child who discovers something magical and eagerly shares it with others.” Việt Nam News.

In this edition of the Research Digest, we explore the provocative idea that nature is a vital (and hope-instilling) partner in the democratic process. We dive into recent literature to see how youth are reclaiming their right to a healthy future, debate the shifting legal landscape of the ""rights of nature,"" and examine how nature engagement fosters the very resilience and civic competencies our communities need to thrive. From empowering children’s voices to questioning our own anthropocentric biases, this research suggests that the path to a healthier, more just democracy might just be found by stepping outside.

Embracing natural consequences, unscheduled afternoons and early independence, free-range parenting is a movement in response to helicopter parents. In a world where parents can be reported as neglectful for simply letting their children play outside, advocates like Lenore Skenazy are making the case that children should play in nature, get bored during unstructured time, earn their independence, and test their limits. The free-range, Let Grow movement is paired with a growing trend of “reasonable childhood independence” laws in states around the U.S. Parents.

It can feel as though crises are everywhere we look: climate instability, youth mental health challenges, academic disparities and inequitable infrastructure. Moments like these demand attention to...