Welcome to our new collaborative research library!
Funded by the Pisces Foundation with support from ee360
Looking for research about environmental literacy, the benefits of connecting to nature, fostering environmental behaviors, and more? You’ve come to the right spot! This database is a collaboration between the North American Association for Environmental Education and the Children & Nature Network, with generous support from the Pisces Foundation and ee360. It combines research for the field of environmental education and the movement to connect children and nature, and includes multiple ways to search for articles, syntheses, and research summaries. An exciting element of this database is that one of the search options aligns with the same five broad search categories (education, conservation, health, social justice, human development) used by the funding community so that researchers, practitioners, and funders alike can use the same uber taxonomy to find what they’re looking for. Learn more >
A consensus-driven process for identifying obstacles to the success of school gardens can inform policy and practice
Citation:
Diaz, J. M., Warner, L. A., Webb, S., & Barry, D.. (2018). Obstacles for school garden program success: Expert consensus to inform policy and practice. Applied Environmental Education & Communication. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2018.1450170
The NEP (Children@School) is a tool that can be used to evaluate the efficacy of architectural design strategies for improving children’s attitudes to the natural environment
Citation:
Izadpanahi, P., & Tucker, R.. (2018). NEP (Children@School): An instrument for measuring environmental attitudes in middle childhood. Australian Journal of Environmental Education. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aee.2017.25
Providing access to safe natural places is critical to the creation of child-friendly cities and to the promotion of children’s subjective well-being
Citation:
Adams, S., Savahl, S., Florence, M., & Jacks, K.. (2018). Considering the natural environment in the creation of child-friendly cities: Implications for children's subjective well-being. Child Indicators Research. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12187-018-9531-x
A new materialist view of the child-nature relationship assigns vitality to non-human materials
Citation:
Arvidsen, J. (2018). Growing dens. On re-grounding the child-nature relationship through a new materialist approach to children's dens. Children's Geographies. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2018.1425371
Study suggests that outdoor play environments for young children should incorporate features of natural and traditional playgrounds to serve all activity levels
Citation:
Luchs, A., & Fikus, M.. (2018). Differently designed playgrounds and preschooler’s physical activity play. Early Child Development and Care, 188(3), 281-295. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1213726
School gardens can promote well-being, including interpersonal relations and empathy for nature
Citation:
Dyg, P. M., & Wistoff, K.. (2018). Wellbeing in school gardens -- The case of the Gardens for Bellies food and environmental education program. Environmental Education Research. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2018.1434869
Designing green infrastructure for connecting children with nature requires an understanding of what’s needed to nurture such connections
Citation:
Giusti, M., Svane, U., Raymond, C. M., & Beery, T. H.. (2018). A framework to assess where and how children connect to nature. Frontiers in Psychology. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02283
Students were more engaged and less distracted after lessons in a natural outdoor setting compared to classroom-based lessons
Citation:
Kuo, M., Browning, M. H. E. M., & Penner, M. L.. (2018). Do lessons in nature boost subsequent classroom engagement: Refueling students in flight. Frontiers in Psychology. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02253
Residential greenness is linked to lower risk for overweight/obesity in preschoolers, especially for children living near parks and whose mothers have less education
Public play spaces and playworker models in the UK and Finland have similarities and differences according to several conceptual models
Citation:
King, P., & Sills-Jones, P.. (2018). Children's use of public spaces and the role of the adult -- A comparison of play ranging in the UK and the leikkipuisto (Play Parks) in Finland. International Journal of Play. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2018.1437378
Children with ADHD cite activities, nature, and connections as important to their well-being
Citation:
Barfield, P. A., & Driessnack, M.. (2018). Children with ADHD draw-and-tell about what makes their life really good. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jspn.12210
Outdoor play and engagement with nature promote the educational goals of two- and three-year-old children
Citation:
Bento, G., & Costa, J. A.. (2018). Outdoor play as a mean to achieve educational goals - A case study in a Portuguese day-care group. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2018.1443483
A mix of natural environments and traditional play equipment promotes risky play in 1- to 3-year-old children
Citation:
Kleppe, R. (2018). Affordances of 1- to 3-year-olds' risky play in Early Childhood Education and Care. Journal of Early Childhood Research. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1476718X18762237
The use of digital observational tools may enhance students’ attitudes, confidence and interest in using technology to learn outdoors
Citation:
Hougham, R. J., Nutter, M., & Graham, C.. (2018). Bridging natural and digital domains: Attitudes, confidence, and interest in using technology to learn outdoors. Journal of Experiential Education. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1053825917751203
Daily exposure to nature can have a positive impact on adolescents’ mood
Citation:
Li, D., Deal, B., Zhou, X., Slavenas, M., & Sullivan, W. C.. (2018). Moving beyond the neighborhood: Daily exposure to nature and adolescents' mood. Landscape and Urban Planning, 173, 33-43. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.01.009
Individual and social factors limit the amount of biodiversity accessible to children in urban areas
Citation:
Hand, K. L., Freeman, C., Seddon, P. J., Recio, M. R., Stein, A., & van Heezik, Y.. (2018). Restricted home ranges reduce children’s opportunities to connect to nature: Demographic, environmental and parental influences. Landscape and Urban Planning, 172, 69-77. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.12.004
Children’s participation in school ground greening planning influences functionality; participation in management phases results in student engagement and satisfaction
Citation:
Jansson, M., Mårtensson, F., & Gunnarsson, A.. (2018). The meaning of participation in school ground greening: A study from project to everyday setting. Landscape Research, 43(1), 163-179. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2017.1306623
Multi-national projects can be effective in building on cultural and social diversity to help young people become confident and capable environmental actors
Citation:
Dittmer, L., Mugagga, F., Metternich, A., Schweizer-Ries, P., Asiimwe, G., & Riemer, M.. (2018). "We can keep the fire burning": Building action competence through environmental justice education in Uganda and Germany. Local Environment, 23(2), 144-157. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2017.1391188
Park prescriptions are a promising tool for addressing stress in low-income parents
Citation:
Razani, N., Morshed, S., Kohn, M. A., Wells, N. W., Thompson, D., Alqassari, M., et al.. (2018). Effect of park prescriptions with and without group visits to parks on stress reduction in low-income parents: SHINE randomized trial. PLOS ONE. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192921
Tree cover and species composition have a positive effect on children’s academic performance, especially for children in socio-economically challenged schools
Citation:
Sivarajah, S., Smith, S. M., & Thomas, S. C.. (2018). Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students. PLOS ONE, 13(2). doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193254
Mothers' education and environmental attitudes and behaviors and children's time spent outdoors predict environmental behavior in young adulthood
Citation:
Evans, G. W., Otto, S., & Kaiser, F. G.. (2018). Childhood origins of young adult environmental behavior. Psychological Science. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797617741894
Citizen initiatives can contribute to a transition in governance and enhance the quality of urban greenspace
Citation:
Aalbers, C. B. E. M., & Sehested, K.. (2018). Critical upscaling. How citizens' initiatives can contribute to a transition in governance and quality of urban greenspace. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 29, 261-275. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2017.12.005
Modifiable neighborhood elements are shown to have differing influences on children’s physical activity by age and gender
Citation:
Kowaleski-Jones, L., Fan, J. X., Wen, M., & Hanson, H.. (2017). Neighborhood context and youth physical activity: Differential associations by gender and age. American Journal of Health Promotion, 31(5), 426-434. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0890117116667353
Children’s drawings can be a powerful tool in guiding conservation programs
Citation:
Franquesa-Soler, M., & Serio-Silva, J. C.. (2017). Through the eyes of children: Drawings as an evaluation tool for children's understanding about endangered Mexican primates. American Journal of Primatology. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22723
Prior findings of neighborhood greenness’s protective effect against asthma may not have considered differing asthma phenotypes
Citation:
Sbihi, H., Koehoorn, M., Tamburic, L., & Brauer, M.. (2017). Asthma trajectories in a population-based birth cohort. Impacts of air pollution and greenness. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, 195(5), 607-613. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.201601-0164OC
Students who engage in gardening and lawn-care activities gain understanding and develop positive attitudes toward bees
Citation:
Silva, A., & Minor, E. S.. (2017). Adolescents' experience and knowledge of, and attitudes toward, bees: Implications and recommendations for conservation. Anthrozoös, 30(1), 19-32. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2017.1270587
Incorporating dogs into social skills training programs may decrease both social skill deficits and symptoms of depression in children with autism spectrum disorders
Citation:
Becker, J. L., Rogers, E. C., & Burrows, B.. (2017). Animal-assisted social skills training for children with autism spectrum disorders. Anthrozoös, 30(2), 307-326. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2017.1311055
Young children develop strong relationships with pets behaviorally similar to humans; older children’s pet attachments include other pet species
Citation:
Hirschenhauser, K., Meichel, Y., Schmalzer, S., & Beetz, A. M.. (2017). Children love their pets: Do relationships between children and pets co-vary with taxonomic order, gender, and age?. Anthrozoös, 30(3), 441-456. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2017.1357882
The health benefits of dogs and cats for children are not supported in a large population-based study
Citation:
Miles, J. N. V., Parast, L., Babey, S. H., Griffin, B. A., & Saunders, J. M.. (2017). Propensity-score-weighted population-based study of the health benefits of dogs and cats for children. Anthrozoös, 30(3), 429-440. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2017.1335103
Comparing Teachers’ and Students’ Perspectives on Conservation Education
Citation:
Sutherland, M. R. (2017). Conservation education in schools: Aligning teachers' perceptions with students' attitudes. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 16(1), 29 - 40. presented at the 2017/01/02/. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2017.1280430
A Gathering of Environmental Groups Inspires Students to Become Involved
Citation:
Burke, A. M. (2017). Effects of exposure to environmental groups on student awareness of environmental issues and their desire to be locally involved. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 16(3), 157 - 170. presented at the 2017/07/03/. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2017.1322013
Understanding Community Needs Can Help Design Better Engagement Programs
Citation:
Tyson, B., Unson, C., & Edgar, N.. (2017). Predictors of success for community-driven water quality management—Lessons from three catchments in New Zealand. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 16(3), 186 - 195. presented at the 2017/07/03/. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2017.1333049
Urban greening programs may be effective in reducing crime
Citation:
Sadler, R. C., Pizarro, J., Turchan, B., Gasteyer, S. P., & McGarrell, E. F.. (2017). Exploring the spatial-temporal relationships between a community greening program and neighborhood rates of crime. Applied Geography, 83, 13-26. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2017.03.017
Individual, physical and social factors influence children’s place preferences and play behaviors in outdoor environments
Citation:
Aziz, N. F., & Said, I.. (2017). The trends and influential factors of children's use of outdoor environments: A review. Asian Journal of Environment-Behaviour Studies, 2(5), 97-108. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.21834/aje-bs.v2i5.226
Positive childhood experiences in nature are associated with pro-environmental attitudes in adults, but not necessarily with environmentally-friendly behaviors
Citation:
Broom, C. (2017). Exploring the relations between childhood experiences in nature and young adults' environmental attitudes and behaviours. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 33(1), 34-47. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aee.2017.1
Forest School educators altered their risk management practices in response to competing conceptions of childhood and risk
Citation:
Connolly, M., & Haughton, C.. (2017). The perception, management and performance of risk amongst Forest School educators. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 38(2), 105-124. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2015.1073098
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