Nature and Young Children : Encouraging Creative Play and Learning in Natural Environments

Now in its third edition, this essential guide promotes the holistic development of children by connecting them with nature. It offers advice on how to set up indoor and outdoor nature play spaces as well as encouraging environmentally responsible attitudes, values and behaviour in your early childhood setting. With brand new material on sustainability education, Froebel and nature, children living in urban environments, and much more, this highly accessible book will provide all early years practitioners, teachers and students with a wealth of ideas on how to foster creative play and learning in nature-focused environments while also promoting positive connections with nature.

Now in its third edition, Nature and Young Children promotes the holistic development of children by connecting them with nature. It offers practical advice on how to set up indoor and outdoor nature play spaces as well as encouraging environmentally responsible attitudes, values and behaviour in your early childhood setting.

With fully revised chapters in line with recent developments to policy and practice, and brand new material covering Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, the power of pro-nature poetry and philosophical discussions, and children living in urban environments, this book reveals just how important nature play can be in the development of young children.

The user-friendly chapters offer guidance on:

• alternative settings for nature-focused programs
• culturally sensitive approaches to nature play in early childhood
• the role of the adult in nature-based learning
• using nature play for cross-curricular learning
• environmentally appropriate practices
• integrating nature education and peace education
• health, safety, and risky play.

Highly accessible, detailed and now extensively updated, Nature and Young Children will provide all early years practitioners, teachers and students with a wealth of ideas on how to foster creative play and learning in nature-focused environments while also encouraging positive connections with nature.