Hughes, Fran: Early Years Learning in Australian Natural Environments

Equip your students with the theoretical and practical knowledge to thrive outdoors in natural learning environments. Early Years Learning in Australian Natural Environments provides pre-service and practising teachers with the knowledge and skills to connect children with nature through outdoor play and learning. Rich with contemporary theory, research, practical guidance and provocations, this text addresses a range of topics related to Immersive Nature Play Programs in the early years. These include the benefits of learning in natural spaces, First Nations People's perspectives, understandings about pedagogical interactions and policies, and education for sustainability and risk management. Written by an experienced team of Australian authors, this book will support pre-service teachers in developing a deep understanding of how nature-based play and learning can promote children's wellbeing and development. Interest in this type of playing and learning has been driven by concerns that children in Western societies are more disconnected from the natural world than in any previous generation (Louv, 2008). Examination of the literature attributes this to a variety of modern issues that hinder children playing in nature, such as the rise of technologies, busier lives of families, fear of risk and the lack of accessible natural spaces (Malone & Waite, 2016; Planet Ark, 2011). The concerns stated are that children are deprived of the benefits of being in nature and this can detrimentally affect their health, development and wellbeing. The international forest school movement is supported by a growing research base (Kelly & White, 2013) which demonstrates that reconnecting children with nature through play in natural outdoor settings has many positive advantages and nurtures young children's relationships with ecological life, perhaps resulting in positive change for the future of the planet. COVID highlighted the importance of our connection to the outdoors and this text address that need very timely.