Learning with nature and learning from others: nature as setting and resource for early childhood education

Abstract

Nature-based learning is an increasingly popular type of early childhood education. Despite this, children’s experiences—in particular, their form and function within different settings and how they are viewed by practitioners—are relatively unknown. Accordingly, the use of nature as a setting and a resource for learning was researched. A description and an emerging understanding of nature-based learning were obtained through the use of a group discussion and case studies. Practitioners’ views demonstrated their eagerness to share experience that ranged from positive examples to challenges encountered within practice. Case studies recorded in a Scottish nature kindergarten and two Nordic counterparts take a situated view of nature-based learning. Findings indicate that nature is utilised as setting, as resource and as educator within children’s learning and this holds true within different countries. Local, social and cultural contexts exert influence on pedagogical practice and implications for practice based upon these are given.

Keywords:

• early childhood education
• nature-based learning
• adult–child relationship
• outdoor learning
• cultural influences

Notes

^1. Also known as outdoor nurseries, forest kindergartens, naturbørnehaven (Denmark) or luontopäiväkoti (Finland), nature kindergartens are a specialist early childhood provision for children aged between two and seven years that use outdoor, natural environments as a key resource and setting. They may be sited in forests, woodland, beaches and other natural environments. Around 90% of each day is spent outdoors.

^2. Readers are advised to see Bentsen et al. (2009).

^3. Forest School was established in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s. It is a part-time provision using predominantly woodland areas for three to 18 year olds. For more details, see Borradaile (2006) and Knight (2009).

^4. Chief Executive, Children in Scotland.

^5. Adult:child ratios refer to the maximum number of children per adult in early childhood institutions. In the United Kingdom, guidelines from Ofsted and other regulatory bodies aim to ensure that each child receives sufficient care and supervision. Ratios are determined by the age of the child and the type of activity.

^6. For the purpose of this study, sensory episodes are limited to human–environment interactions and the effect of climate and weather.

^7. Multiple practitioners from a country are numbered to help show the different voices being reported.

^8. The ‘special week’ is an occasion where each child invited family members, friends from other settings and significant others to share time at nature kindergarten. Visitors would stay for between one day and the full week.

^9. The child in this excerpt is referring to how, during winter months, the step into the forest hut and the benches around the site were buried under compacted snow.

^10. Talking and Thinking Floorbooks™ (Warden, 2006) are a participatory tool designed with a pedagogical purpose. Akin to Classroom Books (Dockett & Perry, 2005; Einarsdottir, Dockett, & Perry, 2009), participants at the Scottish nature kindergarten used the books to record evidence of events and episodes.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah MacQuarrie

Sarah MacQuarrie is a researcher at the University of the Highlands and Islands. Her research is primarily focused on education, in particular teaching and learning, and considers ways to support the implementation of research-based practice. Other research interests span topics such as peer interaction (inside and outside the classroom), professional development within education and bilingual education.

Clare Nugent

Clare Nugent is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh. Clare completed a PGCE in outdoor education at UCNW Bangor then taught in both the state and private sectors before a move to Scotland. She received her MEd in Early Childhood Education from the University of Edinburgh in 2007. Her research focuses on early childhood education, looking closely at nature-based education. Her master’s thesis was a study of Scotland’s first nature kindergarten and her doctoral research builds upon this research by comparing three cases of nature kindergarten in Scotland, Denmark and Finland.

Claire Warden

Claire Warden is an educational consultant and Director of Mindstretchers Ltd, which was set up in 1996 originally as a training company and has now grown to offer publications and educational materials, and includes early childhood care in the form of a nature kindergarten in Scotland. Her professional background is in primary teaching and her commitment to the promotion of nature education is evident in her role as European Leader for the Nature Action Collaborative for Children (NACC).