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 to indoor classrooms on traditional metrics of language development, physical development, executive function, and academic preparation for K-5 schooling. While these questions are important, in our view a complementary line of research is also needed, one that is perhaps even more foundational: to characterize what
exactly goes on in nature schools, especially in terms of how children interact with nature. After all, nature is the central environmental feature of nature schools.
Nature Interaction in a Nature Preschool: A Proof of Concept
