Blog by Tamara Johnston and Trudi Bennett The Children in Nature Network (started by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods) is celebrating 15 years of the children in nature movement. Richard Louv introduced the world to the term Nature-Deficit Disorder. “Nature-deficit disorder describes the human cost of alienation from nature, among them;…
Through all our programs, our main goal is to provide a space where children can fall in love with nature.
Do you know what a Woody Pear tree looks like? What about the colour Eurasian Coot chicks? Can you identify the birds in your area by the bite mark patterns on gumnuts? Do you how to walk in the bush without making a sound? No? Until recently, neither did the students that attended the WA…
Do you remember when you were a child, and the world was amazing? Every bug and every tree held magical powers. You could be anyone, do anything or go anywhere. Flowers became potions, tree trunks dungeons and there was definitely a troll under every bridge. But we couldn’t wait to grow up. We were going…
“[In nature] you can learn more and pass it on to other people” Noticing small changes in the ecosystem and developing a curious mind increases feelings of empowerment and assists children in the protection and regeneration of the environment. Gaining location specific knowledge increases not only connection to that space but opens their eyes to…
“We have to treat [nature] with all the cares” When children have the opportunity to spend regular time in natural spaces they develop deep bonds with those spaces. Many schools are situated in close proximity to pocket parks and natural bush land. Children may walk past or even through these spaces to get to school,…
“You don’t realise you are learning until the end of the session” Connection to nature (the feeling of being part of nature), not only contributes to the development of our physical and mental health, but it is vital in developing a community that lives with active principles of sustainability. Providing young people with opportunities to…
“The ultimate outcome for this entire series is for the kids to learn confidence in themselves”. Spending time outdoors is incredibly valuable. It contributes to both our physical and mental wellbeing, promoting activity whilst providing a sense of connection and belonging. Developing safety and security in outdoor settings provides children with skills to help regulate…
“The kids that don’t necessarily see success in the classroom are coming out of their shells” Outdoor Learning challenges teacher pedagogy and practice long after the students have left the outdoor space! Teaching in outdoor classrooms enhances learning whilst in the natural spaces but beyond that, the experience continues to influence learning back in the…
“[Nature connection] is more than just education, they find a sense of themselves” Finding one’s place in nature reinforces a child’s sense of self-worth, power to enact change and gives them a voice for feelings that may be hard to express in a traditional school setting. Being aware of ourselves, our actions in that space…
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