Full Description
This collection offers a wide-ranging and thoughtful examination of how nature education for young children is evolving in the 21st century. In chapters based on empirical research and examples of reflective practice, the book reveals how nature-based approaches are transforming educational policy, theoretical frameworks, and educational practice in early childhood and beyond.
Drawing on research from international contributors across diverse educational settings, the volume explores:
Challenges to concepts of childhood, risk, and human-nature interaction, past and present
Culturally specific and Indigenous knowledge systems
Teacher preparation and professional development pathways
Strategies for family and community engagement
Effective nature-based learning in urban environments
Beyond highlighting successful approaches, the collection tackles implementation challenges head-on, providing practical recommendations and thought-provoking questions designed for both individual reflection and group discussion.
This essential resource equips undergraduate and postgraduate students, education researchers, and practicing teachers with the insights they need to enact and critique nature-based pedagogical approaches, especially (but not only) for young learners.
Contents
Introduction: Nature and Early Education: Pedagogies, Posthumanism, and Ideologies of the Outdoors 1. Intergenerational Nature Education: With Design Education and Research 2. Adapting Nature-Based Risky Outdoor Play Practices: A Comparative Study of Norway and Northern Ireland in Early Childhood Education 3. (Re)Learning with Nature in the City: Young Children's Experiences of Nature in Urban Places 4. ʻĀina as Sibling: Honouring Land, Culture, and Community in Early Learning 5. Early Childhood Nature Play in NSW, Australia: Sharing Some Bushy Tales 6. "Yes! Bare Feet Are Allowed Outdoors": Shifting Perceptions and Practices of Outdoor Nature Play in Canada
