Nature and Well-Being
Contents
How Nature Connection Supports Children’s Well-Being
Time in nature gives children space to slow down, notice what is around them and become absorbed in discovery. A growing body of evidence connects access to green space and nature-based experiences with positive mood, reduced stress, improved attention and stronger social connection.
Learning about nature helps children recognize that they are part of a larger living world. Knowing the bird outside the window, understanding why an animal behaves a certain way or noticing how a plant changes creates familiarity, meaning and connection. Research associates this sense of connection with psychological well-being, self-satisfaction, prosocial behavior and happiness.
Understanding Nature Connection
Nature connection is more than spending time outside. Researchers describe it as a person’s sense of relationship, kinship or belonging with the natural world. It includes noticing nature, understanding living systems, caring about other forms of life and recognizing that people are part of the environment rather than separate from it.
A systematic review of 72 studies found an overall positive relationship between children’s nature connectedness and well-being. Reported benefits included happiness, joy, reduced stress, self-esteem, social well-being and prosocial behavior.
Familiarity Builds Confidence
The natural world becomes less distant when children begin to recognize what they see. Learning the name of a bird, understanding an animal’s behavior or following the changes in a plant gives children a growing body of knowledge they can use to interpret new experiences.
This familiarity supports confidence. Children begin to see themselves as capable observers who can notice patterns, ask questions and make sense of the living world around them.
A Sense of Belonging
Nature connection gives children a way to understand themselves as part of something larger. Animals, plants, water, weather and people belong to interconnected systems. Recognizing these relationships helps children see that they have a place within their community and the natural world.
This sense of belonging does not require access to wilderness. It can begin with a familiar bird, an insect on the sidewalk, a neighborhood tree or the seasonal changes children notice close to home.
Care, Purpose and Happiness
Connection often grows through care. When children learn what living things need and how natural systems work, they begin to understand how their own choices affect other forms of life.
Research has found associations among nature connectedness, sustainable behavior, altruism and happiness in children. Other studies connect nature awareness and responsibility with fewer emotional or peer difficulties and stronger prosocial behavior.
These findings suggest that caring for nature may support children’s sense of purpose while helping them recognize their ability to contribute to the world around them.
Selected Studies
The Impacts of Nature Connectedness on Children’s Well-Being
This systematic review examined 72 studies. It found an overall positive relationship between children’s nature connectedness and psychological, social and physical well-being. Reported benefits included happiness, reduced stress, self-satisfaction and prosocial behavior.
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Nature Connection and Well-Being in Children and Adolescents
This systematic review and meta-analysis included 12 studies with more than 30,000 children and adolescents. It found a moderate positive relationship between nature connection and well-being. The paper was released as a preprint, meaning it had not yet completed formal peer review at the time of publication.
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Connection to Nature and Well-Being in Middle Childhood
This study analyzed information from more than 26,000 children at approximately age 11. Nature connection was positively associated with self-satisfaction and prosocial behavior after the researchers considered several social and personal factors.
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Connectedness to Nature, Sustainable Behavior and Happiness
This study involved 296 children with an average age of approximately 10. It found relationships among children’s nature connectedness, sustainable behavior and perceived happiness.
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Nature Connectedness and Psychological Functioning in Preschool Children
This study found that greater enjoyment of nature was associated with less distress. Nature awareness was associated with fewer emotional difficulties, while responsibility toward nature was associated with stronger prosocial behavior and fewer peer difficulties.
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