Nature Interaction in a Nature Preschool: A Proof of Concept

Nature preschools and forest kindergartens have been increasing in number: from around 25 programs in 2012 to more than 250 in 2017 in the United States alone (North American Association for Environmental Education [NAAEE], 2017). Thus questions in research communities have emerged about these programs, such as how they compare...

There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather

A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids When Swedish-born Linda Åkeson McGurk moved to Indiana, she quickly learned that the nature-centric parenting philosophies of her native Scandinavia were not the norm. In Sweden, children play outdoors year-round, regardless of the weather, and letting babies nap outside...

Last Child in the Woods

Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder By Richard Louv In this influential work about the staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation—he calls it nature-deficit—to some of the most disturbing childhood trends,...

Balanced and Barefoot

How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children By Angela J. Hanscom In this important book, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook shows how outdoor play and unstructured freedom of movement are vital for children’s cognitive development and growth, and offers tons of fun, engaging...

Mindfulness & Nature-Based Therapeutic Techniques for Children

Creative Activities for Emotion Regulation, Resilience and Connectedness By Cheryl Fisher Whether you’re in the therapy office, a classroom, in the city, or the countryside, using nature-based activities with children is always possible, and incredibly therapeutic. By integrating these activities with mindfulness, therapists and educators can harness the power of...