https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1810-7466
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Abstract
Engagement with nature is crucial for child development and kindergarten educators’ pedagogical beliefs about nature play significantly affect children’s access to and experiences of nature in kindergarten. This study examines the role of nature play in children’s holistic development, engaging 12 Chinese kindergarten educators through in-depth interviews. The results demonstrated a consensus among participating educators regarding the significance of nature play in child development. Our analysis further revealed a prominent discrepancy: while most educators see nature play primarily for personal development and aesthetic appreciation of nature, very few recognise it as a strategic tool for environmental education in young children, which includes ecological literacy and sustainability. Their limited exposure to environmental education during their teacher education results in a skewed understanding of nature-based play pedagogy. These underpinnings may unintentionally narrow their holistic perspective on the wider scope of environmental education. The findings suggest the need to foster educators’ richer understanding of environmental education in nature play through teacher training.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
Disclosure statement
The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Data availability statement
The data supporting this study’s findings are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available owing to privacy or ethical restrictions.
Notes
1 According to the latest national education stats (http://www.moe.gov.cn/jyb_sjzl/moe_560/2021/quanguo/202301/t20230103_1037845.html), by 2021, over 97.8% full-time ECEs are female, and about 74.7% are under 35 years old.
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Notes on contributors
Junqing Zhai
Dr. Junqing Zhai is an Associate Professor at the School of Education, Zhejiang University, China. He has a doctorate from King’s College London, which focused on the pedagogical practices of professional botanical garden educators. Before returning to China, he was a Research Fellow at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. This role gave him valuable insights into inquiry-based teaching and learning in school science classrooms. Currently, his research is focused on bridging the gap between urban children and nature, emphasising outdoor play in green spaces.
Simone Miranda Blom
Dr. Simone Miranda Blom is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Southern Cross University, Australia. She is an early career researcher with interests in environmental education pedagogies and practices, posthuman theories, creative and innovative qualitative methodologies and science education. Simone is dedicated to improving both pre-and in-service teacher confidence and competence in science and environmental education.
Justin Dillon
Dr. Justin Dillon is a Professor of Science and Environmental Education at IOE-Faculty of Education and Society, University College London and holds a Guest Professorship at Zhejiang University in China. Justin serves as President of the National Association for Environmental Education and is a trustee of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. He co-edited the first ever International Handbook on Research in Environmental Education, and currently edits Studies in Science Education. His research and development projects involve extensive work with schools, museums, science centres, aquariums and botanic gardens. Justin is an associate editor of Environmental Education Research.
Shanghao Wu
Miss Shanghao Wu, serving as a Research Assistant and pursuing her MA in Early Childhood Education at East China Normal University’s Department of Early Childhood Education, has a keen focus on nature-based early childhood education, scientific learning in informal settings, and environmental education. Currently, she is deeply engaged in exploring how contact with nature nurtures children’s cognitive development and shapes their pro-environmental behaviours. Additionally, she is interested in examining the influential role families play in forging and strengthening the bond between children and the natural world.
Xiaomei Yan
Dr. Xiaomei Yan is a Lecturer at the School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. She is an alumnus of the Physics Department at East China Normal University and further advanced her studies with an M.Sc. from the Graduate School of Education at Bristol University, UK. Here, she pursued her PhD in scientific argumentation, supported by a prestigious university centenary scholarship. During her postdoctoral tenure at Beijing Normal University, Dr. Yan engaged in multifaceted education research projects, ranging from micro to macro levels. She has been instrumental in leading her team in conducting comprehensive and extensive research on science education and scientific literacy at the K-12 stage in China.