Reports & case studies

Noticing Nature: the first report in the Everyone Needs Nature series

What are the essential ingredients for a positive connection to nature? Research with children and adults looking at factors associated with proactively doing things to help nature; significance of ‘tuning in’, noticing or paying attention to nature; how these benefit wellbeing.
National Trust (pdf), February 2020

Moved by Nature in Finland

Fun, meaningful, and health-enhancing physical activities for school children The Moved by Nature Project took a group of 9-12-year-olds on 3 nature activity days over 3 different seasons. An analysis of the children’s views about what they most enjoyed found meaningful experiences in 3 areas: freedom, autonomy and adventure, inspiring learning experiences, and co-operation and connectedness with peers.
LOtC, 3 July 2019

You can watch 2 videos about the Moved by Nature project in our Nature Videos section - link below:

Nature Play

Nurturing Children and Strengthening Conservation through Connections to the Land Part 1: A Primer on Nature Play and Its Importance – exploring the essential characteristics of nature play, its benefits and barriers. Part 2: Restoring Nature Play – real actions to undertake including advice on creating nature play spaces and playscapes, creating understanding amongst stakeholders, developing & planning programmes, activities and more. The appendix includes a discussion on risk.
Greenhearts (US), c2015 (pdf)

Nature Play & Learning Places

Creating and managing places where children engage with nature ‘Offers a set of guidelines for those who create, manage or promote development of nature areas in the everyday environments of children, youth, and families, especially in urban/suburban communities. The goal is to attract kids and families outdoors to interact directly with nature.’
Robin C. Moore, National Wildlife Federation and Natural Learning Initiative, 2014, on Green Schoolyard Network

Natural England Access to Nature: Learning Papers

Reports on the experiences and self-evaluation of projects supported by Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces grants, encouraging people who have little or no experience of the natural environment to benefit from the outdoors.
Click here to see the full list or click on the links below for a pdf download of each specific report.

Let Nature Feed Your Senses: sensory-rich visits connecting people to nature & food, 2014

Learning together: schools & the natural environment sector, 2013

Seeing the wood for the trees: woodlands as a tool for engaging people with the natural environment, 2013

A natural curiosity – good quality outdoor experiences are a valuable part of children’s development, 2013

Best foot forward – the benefits of the natural environment for mental & physical health, 2013

Minority ethnic communities & the natural environment, 2013

Friending Fresh Air

Connecting Kids to Nature in the Digital Age. This report aims to arm parents with the information they need to understand how kids’ media habits can impact health, learning & social development, and how spending time outside can balance the drawbacks of screen time. It also provides tools to help families combine the best of both worlds— virtual & natural. National Wildlife Federation (US), 2013.

State of nature

In 2013 the UK’s wildlife organisations joined forces to undertake a health check of nature in the UK and its Overseas Territories. This report presents their findings, with statistics on native flora, fauna and habitats. RSPB, 2013.

Good from Woods case studies

‘The Good from Woods research project (Plymouth University) explored how people are benefiting, personally and socially, from woodland activities in southwest England. Initiatives that deliver woodland activities recorded how participants feel about their experiences in order to build an evidence base.’ 15 case studies from a range of work, in various outdoor settings, with children, young people and adults with learning difficulties. c2011-2013.

National Wildlife Foundation: Connecting Kids & Nature - special reports

Some excellent reports into children & nature – and how it effects their wellbeing, health, learning and more, from the National Wildlife Federation (US).
Click here to see the full list or click on the links below for a pdf download of each specific report.

The Forecast Calls for Play: Feel Confident Outdoors No Matter the Weather, 2013

The Dirt on Dirt: How Getting Dirty Outdoors Benefits Kids, 2012

Outdoor Play for Every Day, 2012

Green Time for Sleep Time: Three Ways Nature and Outdoor Time Improve Your Child’s Sleep, c2011

Whole Child: Developing Mind, Body, and Spirit Through Outdoor Play, 2010

Back to School: Back Outside! Create High Performing Students, 2010

Time Out: Using the Outdoors to Enhance Classroom Performance, c2009

Summary: Connecting Kids and Nature, c2007 From the National Wildlife Federation (US).

Children and nature

‘Sets out the findings of a review into the evidential support for claims about the benefits for children of experiences with nature.’ Tim Gill of Rethinking Childhood, November 2011. Why does nature matter to children? What’s the evidence? Tim Gill explains his thinking, methods and learning from the above report.

Effective approaches to connect children with nature

‘Based on a review of relevant research and literature… insights from research findings on the most effective approaches for engaging with different age groups. Finally, the paper reviews the role of participative, active arts education as a tool for facilitating and effectively connecting children and nature.’ Department of Conservation, New Zealand, 2011.

Children in the Outdoors: A literature review

‘An in-depth look at the current themes within health, outdoors and children’s research and highlights how these relate to understanding the links between children’s use of outdoors spaces and health outcomes.’ Dr. Sarah-Anne Muñoz, Sustainable Development Research Centre (no longer exists), 2009.