Mud, Sticks & Stones: Nature Play Foundations

Puddle stomping, tree climbing and rock collecting; traditional children’s pastimes that have gone by the wayside in recent years. There was a time when the majority of children’s play took place outdoors and was unstructured. That is no longer the case for many children. Fortunately, as educators we have the power to help change that. By moving teaching of all kinds outside whenever possible, and advocating for the benefits of nature play to school administrators and parents.

Why encourage more time in nature? Well, benefits abound in all areas of child development. In the cognitive realm we know time outdoors increases retention, concentration and short term memory. It has also been found to increase creativity and analytical thinking skills. In terms of physical development, it helps with vision, reduces blood pressure and increases serotonin and dopamine levels that positively impact mood. Social and emotional development also benefit, with increases in collaboration, conflict resolution and cooperation. Likewise, empathy, sense of place and agency are increased with time spent in nature. This extensive list doesn’t even touch on the reason many of us became interested in environmental education. For most it’s creating a connection to nature that ideally leads to pro-environmental behaviors and a conservation ethic.

Why through play? Well, benefits exist in all developmental areas of play as well. Play helps hone decision making skills, enhances learning readiness, learning behaviors and problem solving skills, all important cognitive benefits. Play encourages physical engagement and activity, helping with obesity concerns, improves coordination, and helps with physical risk assessment. At its core play is a social and emotional activity. Play increases creativity, develops imagination, and enhances confidence and resilience. It also develops negotiation and self-advocacy skills and opportunities to learn from and with others. Unstructured play is particularly important and has unfortunately decreased, as fears of letting children explore their neighborhoods, and the need for afterschool care have risen. At the same time recesses have gotten shorter and electives that provide similar creative outlets fewer. Children lack the necessary opportunity for undirected play, instead coaches, educators and caregivers determine what kind of play will happen and how. Decreasing the inherent benefits.

Providing and encouraging nature play opportunities merges all of these wonderful benefits. To begin, remember that an adult’s role is to stay back and allow exploration to happen. As environmental educators it can be tempting to narrate children’s discoveries and attempt to direct exploration so they don’t miss anything. Instead, step back and behold the magic. Providing a few simple guidelines is best. They might include: staying at a distance where you can still hear, and or see a teacher, respecting the natural world, and using natural materials safely. If you go in with a list of what not-to-do’s, they will just find creative work-a-rounds. Instead, start off with a level of mutual respect, and you can always kindly redirect the occasional guideline infraction.

Nature play can look like many things, and is valuable to children of all ages. It does not require specific equipment or tools, and can be done anywhere. Providing access to any of the following types of activities provides value. Mud and dirt play can include a mud pit, or a tub or top soil and some sticks. For nature art, any and all natural materials are usable, even simple dandelions can make beautiful creations, along with rocks, sticks, shells, seed heads and more. Temporary works of art are fine, and the materials can be used over and over. When space and materials allow, fort building is a great STEM nature activity, with natural materials like logs and downed branches, or upcycled materials like wood and PVC scraps and old tarps. The list goes on and on, are there rocks and logs to balance on? Let them, no need to create a game, they will. Is there a water sources? Simply monitor for safety.

Encourage students to be scientists as they explore. What can they observe? What can they test? Concerned that learning might not be happening? Ask them to tell you about their creation, test, or exploration. Along with sharing nature experiences with a trusted person, spending time in unstructured nature play continues to be a strong positive indicator of ongoing connection to nature.

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