This resource highlights characteristics of nature play that encourage meaningful interactions and outlines some considerations for practitioners to support families and children to engage in nature play.
This paper summarises the research evidence about whether nature play can support young children’s (2–12 years) relationships with their parents, siblings and peers. It highlights characteristics of nature play that can encourage meaningful interactions and describes how this can support positive relationship building. It also outlines some considerations for practitioners and other professionals working with young children and families.
What is nature play?
Nature play is a form of child-led, mostly unstructured play that is usually outdoors and involves play with natural elements or objects. Nature play can cover a range of activities and experiences but common features of nature play include (Alla & Truong, 2024; MacDonald et al., 2023):
- play or interaction with natural elements (e.g. logs, rocks and water) or sites (e.g. parks, forests and green areas)
- play activities – this can mean the mode of play (e.g. unstructured, child-led play) or types of activities (e.g. digging holes, climbing trees, hiding in bushes)
- types of experiences that being in nature provides (e.g. being mindful, feeling present and fully immersed in the surroundings)
- benefits gained (e.g. learning, skills, health and wellbeing).
The term ‘nature play’ is sometimes used interchangeably with related concepts including ‘nature contact’, ‘outdoor play’ and ‘risky play’.
For more information about nature play and how it is defined, read: Nature play and child wellbeing.