RESPECTING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
STARTS IN THE EARLY YEARS
WHY SHOULD CHILDREN RESPECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT?
As human beings, we are interdependent on our natural environments to sustain life and wellbeing. Supporting children to respect natural environments and living things is a basic moral responsibility on our part as the older generation, as we seek to instil and cultivate respectful attitudes and practices for the biodiversity on our earth. Respect for both living and non-living aspects of nature is important for effective functioning in the environment, and should be encouraged in the early years.
We want them to be part of the solution, not the problem. Our earth today faces multiple environmental issues that our children will be inheriting by no fault of their own 1, 2. Rather than raising a generation of children who will only further perpetuate the environmental crises through unsustainable practices, the solution lies in cultivating lifelong attitudes, values and habits in children that not just respect, but also sustain and flourish natural environments for the benefit of all future generations 2, 4. Children today will significantly influence our future generations. We need to help them realise the importance of caring for and protecting their environment as stewards of the Earth 1, 2, 4 5. It is through outdoor play and nature play that children learn, engaging in varied and multifaceted interactions with the natural environment 3. "As adults we make decisions each day that either minimize or promote children’s ability to connect—not solely through technology—but to the living, natural world which is increasing by being left out of the culture of childhood worldwide." |
WHY SHOULD MY CHILD LEARN TO RESPECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT SO EARLY?
Early childhood is a period in a child's life in which they develop foundational attitudes, opinions, values and beliefs about the world around them 3. By providing children with
positive experiences in nature early in their life, it helps them to see the interrelationships between living and non-living things, and develop an emotional connection to nature 1. Here are 3 benefits to children when they learn to interact respectfully with the environment: It builds upon their natural curiosity. As children are naturally curious and naturally tend to ask many questions about the world around them 1, being stimulated through rich sensory experiences in the natural environments allows them to test their creative and critical capacities 6 and seek solutions to the problems they face. It encourages physical activity. It has been well-agreed that a significant proportion of our children today is suffering from what has been termed as a 'nature deficit disorder' in which children are living increasingly sedentary lifestyles 6, 7, 8, 9 due to a range of factors. These include an upward trend towards engaging in screen time 6, partially connected with not the phenomenon of not being allowed outdoors without parental supervision 7. It develops their growing sense of responsibility. By being guided to interact respectfully with nature, children learn how to become effective stewards of the natural environment around them 5. They learn to develop a heightened sensitivity to the impact of their actions on other living things, and come up with ways in which they can care responsibly for their natural surroundings. Looking for more benefits on nature play and outdoor education?
"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." |
HOW WOULD AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTING PROVIDE FOR THIS?
Click on the button below to access how two examples of how early childhood settings may incorporate a play-based approach to address this concept, and what children can learn from them based on outcomes from the Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework:
HOW CAN I SUPPORT MY CHILD IN RESPECTING NATURE?
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Here are additional resources that may provide you with more ideas that you can adapt to your own context:
REFERENCES:
- Bullock, J. R. (1994). Helping children value and appreciate nature. Day Care and Early Education, 21(4), 4-8. Retrieved from http://www.ea.gr/ep/organic/academic%20biblio/for%20teachers_why%20gardening/Helping%20Children%20Value%20and%20Appreciate%20Nature.pdf
- Taylor, J. (2015, January 13). 8 ways to nurture your children's connection to nature [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/8-ways-to-nurture-your-ch_b_6458006.html?ir=Australia
- Wilson, R. A. (1996). What can I teach my young child about the environment? Retrieved from http://www.kidsource.com/education/teach.environment.p.k12.3.html
- Early Childhood Australia. (2013). Talking about practice: Embedding sustainable practices. NQS PLP e-Newsletter, 67. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/NQS_PLP_E-Newsletter_No67.pdf
- Boyle, L. (2006). Environmental experiences in child care. Putting Children First, 19, 14-17. Retrieved from http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-resources/pcf-articles/Environmental_Experiences_in_Child_Care_Sept06.pdf
- Natural Learning Initiative. (2012). Benefits of connecting children with nature: Why naturalize outdoor learning environments. Retrieved from http://naturalearning.org/sites/default/files/Benefits%20of%20Connecting%20Children%20with%20Nature_InfoSheet.pdf
- Tabone, M. (2012, November 18). Nature, children and play. Times of Malta. Retrieved from http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121118/education/Nature-children-and-play.445808
- World Forum Foundation. (2008). Reconnecting the world's children to nature. Retrieved from http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/nacc/call_to_action.pdf
- Handler, D. & Eipstein, A. S. (2010). Nature education in preschool. Highscope Extensions, 25(2), 1–7. Retrieved from http://www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/Extensions/Ext_Vol25No2_low.pdf
Updated: September 22nd, 2015 by Christie Oh