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Human–Nature Relationships and Science Process Skills in an Early Childhood Forest School Pilot Project
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DOI：10.3390/educsci16081271.png)
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Abstract
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Growing concerns regarding children’s disconnection from nature have increased interest in nature-based pedagogies within Early Childhood Education (ECE). This study examined how participation in a Forest School pilot project influenced children’s learning environments, play, human–nature relationships, and science process skills in three ECE settings in Northern Spain. This longitudinal study combined quantitative and qualitative data collection methods to follow 106 children aged 2–5 years throughout a complete academic year of regular Forest School sessions integrated within mainstream schooling. Data collection combined systematic observation scales, semi-structured interviews, environmental attitude measures, and family questionnaires to examine learning environments, children’s play, social interactions, environmental attitudes and science process skills. The findings indicate that forest environments provided richer opportunities for exploratory play, science process skills, and interaction with unstructured materials than conventional playgrounds. Group symbolic play occurred more frequently in forest settings, while lower levels of conflict were observed. Children progressively developed more ecocentric environmental attitudes, empathy toward living beings, and relational forms of environmental care through repeated interaction with nearby ecosystems. Teachers reported that children demonstrated increasing science process skills—including observation, exploration, representation, and communication—through direct interaction with natural phenomena. The study suggests that regular nature-based learning may support the development of science process skills, environmental care, and holistic child development within mainstream ECE contexts.
Keywords:
forest school
nature-based learning
early childhood education
sustainability education
science process skills
environmental attitudes
STEM education
symbolic play
outdoor education
environmental care
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