China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Infancy and the early years
Published in Julia Whitaker, Alison Tonkin, Play for Health Across the Lifespan, 2021
The concept of the Forest Kindergarten originated in Scandinavia in the 1950s and a growing awareness of the importance of outdoor play, and of the consequences of ‘nature deficit disorder’ (Louv 2009), has spurred the growth of outdoor early education provision throughout the UK (e.g., Education Scotland 2020b). Play in nature gives children the opportunity to grow and to learn in an ever-changing environment, offering them the best preparation for dealing with life in a fast-changing world, without losing their sense of wonder and connection. The following case-story offers a snapshot of play in a natural environment highlighting the various benefits for health and learning which have been discussed throughout this chapter.
People–plant response
Published in Rebecca L. Haller, Karen L. Kennedy, Christine L. Capra, The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy, 2019
If being in the presence of nature is healing, what happens when individuals spend little or no time in nature? In 2005, Louv wrote at length about children who grow up without spending time in nature. He termed this condition nature deficit disorder. Louv contends that children raised with their attention primarily on electronics (televisions, cell phones, computers) have higher rates of illness, more mental health issues, and incomplete development (summarized succinctly in Natural Learning Institute 2012).
Can universal design support outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion in public playgrounds? A scoping review
Published in Disability and Rehabilitation, 2022
Alice Moore, Helen Lynch, Bryan Boyle
Within play research, outdoor play has become increasingly important as a source of wellbeing [5,10]. Outdoor play has been associated with increased physical activity, indicating that outdoor play is characteristically less sedentary and more physical than play indoors [11–13]. Outdoor play has been further associated with opportunities for children to develop independence, self-determination, and physical skills [14]. Moreover, researchers have identified a myriad of social, emotional, cognitive, and physical benefits for children engaging in outdoor play that is less supervised, less structured, more adventurous and includes elements of challenge and risk [15–20]. However, participation in outdoor play is under threat in many industrialized countries in particular because of restricted access to gardens and green areas, concerns about road safety and stranger danger, restricted independent mobility, heightened emphasis on academic learning and increased scheduling of adult organized activities and sedentary screen-based behavior [1,11,21–29]. Reductions in play opportunities have been documented internationally with researchers coining terms such as “play deprivation” [23], “nature deficit disorder” [25], and “poverty of experience” [24].