This is the final post in a series of “Roots in Research” blogs, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. As we conclude our series on Nature Explore’s “Roots in Research,” we look at another study—this one conducted at a Nature Explore…
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This is the seventh in a series of “Roots in Research” blog posts, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. The Nature Explore program team spends a great deal of time celebrating the ways in which outdoor learning and the special features…
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This is the sixth in a series of “Roots in Research” blog posts, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. “A very important piece of being a co-researcher is that it is a deeply reflective process. As we’re working with children, we’re…
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This is the fifth in a series of “Roots in Research” blog posts, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. Parents play a significant and positive role in thriving Nature Explore Classrooms across the country. From fundraising to classroom maintenance, volunteering and…
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We in the Nature Explore family don’t need a study to tell us that nature has many positive benefits for our physical, mental and spiritual health. We feel these benefits in ourselves, and see them in the children who play in our outdoor classrooms. Yet if nature is so good for our health, why aren’t…
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How do we help young children develop early math skills that will provide them with a solid foundation, nurture a continued love of learning, and translate to later success in constructing and applying math knowledge? Many early childhood experts believe the best way to help develop this early foundation is through age-appropriate learning, which for…
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Many of you have told me that young children in Nature Explore Classrooms rarely need to be “taught” what to do. Their innate imagination fuels spontaneous play. Their inborn curiosity ignites research and questions. They often look to you as co-learners, rather than as teachers. And you find a freedom from more formalized lessons in…
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This is the third in a series of “Roots in Research” blog posts, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. A few years ago, researchers explored preschool and kindergarten students’ learning when they were engaged in hands-on activities in the garden and…
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This is the second in a series of “Roots in Research” blog posts, in which we summarize key findings of research conducted by Nature Explore staff and our colleagues at other institutions. An increasing body of research has documented the powerful role of play in children’s development and the importance of getting children outdoors….
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A team of researchers in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently set out to discover if outdoor classrooms—in particular those certified by Nature Explore and the Outdoor Classroom Project—are experiencing their intended positive learning, behavioral, health and development outcomes. By conducting interviews and analyzing data from 11 research sites, the…
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