Nature Brings Out the Best in Children

New research suggests that natural elements like mud, sticks, and trees might unlock the imaginative power of play—beating out purpose-built spaces like the neighborhood playground.

How important is the environment that children play in for the quality of learning? A comprehensive study shows that children who play in unstructured outdoor environments with natural materials engage in a much wider variety of beneficial types of play, which leads to increased cognitive and developmental benefits. Researchers found that those children were more likely to be inspired to build with found materials, to engage in imaginative play, and to examine objects deeply through the senses. They also found that the children were more joyful and participated in more cooperative play. That’s why in Waldorf education we prioritize giving children access to outdoor play spaces with natural materials that encourage creative and open-ended imaginative play.

Read the full article, At Playtime, Open Fields and Trees Beat Seesaws and Monkey Bars, published by Edutopia and the George Lucas Educational Foundation.