Exploring the human-nature connection and the perceived risk of nature in children

Abstract

We explored the impact of a daytrip for children aged 10-13 (n = 40) to assess perception of nature. Those who perceived risk in nature were 11.25 times more likely to indicate disinterest in spending time outdoors. Those interested in spending time outdoors were 6.9 times more likely to think people should care more about the environment. Experiences before the daytrip and demographics were explored further; composters were less fearful than their counterparts (p = 0.009), as were older children (p = 0.049). These findings suggest introducing tactile experiences and earlier interventions may support children’s comfort in nature and environmental stewardship.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the comments provided by the anonymous reviewers towards improving this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Data availability statement

Data is available upon request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant #1742125.