Connectedness to nature is a multidimensional construct that includes emotions, behaviors, and cognition.

Young children often express connection to nature differently than adults and older children

A review of research reveals unique ways in which preschool children experience and express connection to nature. Approaches and tools for assessing connection to nature in young children are offered.
Beery, Chawla & Leven, 2020. Being and becoming in nature: Defining and measuring connection to nature in young children. 
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Connecting with nature and acting to protect nature can be mutually reinforcing

This review examines two streams of research on connectedness to nature that have progressed independently–one focused on connection as a positive experience and the other on responses to environmental loss– and argues for integration across these research areas.
Chawla, 2020. Childhood nature connection and constructive hope: A review of research on connecting with nature and coping with environmental loss.
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Childhood and adult nature experiences predict nature connection among adult urban residents

Urban adults–with and without childhood nature experiences–report looking to nature for relaxation. Related research suggests that direct contact with nature at any life stage can promote nature connection.
Cleary et al. 2020. Predictors of nature connection among urban residents: Assessing the role of childhood and adult nature experiences. 
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Nature connection and pro-environmental behaviors are stronger in rural versus urban children in northern Mexico

Reports completed by two groups of Mexican children (one rural, one urban) showed that place of residence was directly and positively linked to pro-environmental behaviors and partially explained by level of connectedness to nature.
Duron-Ramos et al. 2020. The role of urban/rural environments on Mexican children’s connection to nature and pro-environmental behavior. 
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For Canadian adolescents, as electronic media use increases, connection to nature decreases

Surveys completed by Canadian youth (age 10 to 18) show that they prefer electronic technology over time in nature, that the use of electronic technology tends to be addictive, and that some youth perceive indoors as safer and more comfortable than outdoors.
Michaelson et al. 2020. Electronic screen technology use and connection to nature in Canadian adolescents: A mixed methods study.. 
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Solitary activities, reinforced by socialization, may best promote connectedness to nature

Self-report surveys indicated that youth who spent time alone in nature weekly were more likely to have high nature connectedness than those spending time outside alone less frequently. Social time seemed to reinforce nature connectedness.
Szczytko et al. 2020. How combinations of recreational activities predict connection to nature among youth. 
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Both biophilia and biophobia are attributes of young children’s connectedness to nature

Two separate studies investigated the emotional attributes of 5-year-old children in Spain. The children responded with both positive and negative emotions to natural images displayed on a computer screen.
Olivos-Jara et al. 2020. Biophilia and biophobia as emotional attribution to nature in children of 5 years old. 
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The aim of some research relating to children and nature is to identify ways in which urban and community planners might be more effective in increasing opportunities for nature engagement.

Trees near schools are positively linked to academic achievement of sixth-grade students

An analysis of two measures of greenness around schools and two measures of academic achievement of almost 60,000 sixth grade students revealed that greener schools had higher scores. Nearby trees proved to be “the primary driver behind the greenness-academic achievement link.”
Kuo et al. 2021. Greening for academic achievement: Prioritizing what to plant and where.
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Parents’ restrictions on outdoor play often focus on safety concerns

A team of researchers, after identifying safety concerns as a major barrier to outdoor play, concluded that improved neighborhood conditions may be necessary to reduce parents’ fear and lessen restrictions on outdoor play.
Kepper et al. 2020. Using mixed methods to understand women’s parenting practices related to their child’s outdoor play and physical activity among families living in diverse neighborhood environments
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Canopy cover and water bodies are positively linked to academic performance

Researchers linked third-grade academic scores to the level of green and blue (water) spaces in schools’ attendance areas. Findings support urban initiatives focusing on increased exposure to living environments.
Lin & Van Stan II, 2020. Impacts of urban landscapes on students’ academic performance. 
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Research agenda focuses on green schoolyards as a path to equitable access to nature

A concern about inequitable access to nature led to the development of a research agenda aimed at supporting policy goals to implement green schoolyards across the country. Priorities proposed in the research agenda include research on academic performance, teacher retention and satisfaction, social and emotional learning, individual health and wellbeing, community wellbeing, and cost-benefit analysis.
Stevenson et al. 2020. A national research agenda supporting green schoolyard development and equitable access to nature.
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Making informal greenspaces more available could promote equity in access to nature

Research focusing on two Eastern-European cities indicates that removing restrictions to accessing informal greenspace and keeping unmanaged informal greenspace from development could help reduce inequity in access to nature.
Sikorska et al. 2020. The role of informal green spaces in reducing inequalities in urban green space availability to children and seniors.
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The benefits of nature for children include enhanced social-emotional functioning and more complex play. Related research includes an examination of different cultural beliefs and the development of observational tools to gain a deeper understanding of the children and nature connection.

Some cultures look to nature as a regulator of children’s emotions

A study comparing United States-derived beliefs and Mapuche culture beliefs of people in Chile found differences based, not only on cultures within a region, but also on role (parent or teacher) and location (rural or urban).
Halberstadt, Oertwig & Riquelme, 2020. Beliefs about children’s emotions in Chile.
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New play observation tool focuses on child-initiated outdoor play and the play environment

In developing the Tool for Observing Play Outdoors (TOPO), researchers identified three play types typically not included in play assessments:  bio play, restorative play, and digital play.
Loebach & Cox, 2020. Tool for Observing Play Outdoors (TOPO): A new typology for capturing children’s play behaviors in outdoor environments.
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