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The body of evidence keeps growing – nature is good for children and really good for the brain! Spending time in nature is actually essential for the optimal development of the young child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. When adults introduce nature during the first three years of life and take on the role of play partner, the child’s inherent curiosity and drive to experience and learn from their world around them is enhanced. In this workshop we’ll spend some time taking a look at nature from a child’s perspective. We’ll discuss concepts such as loose parts and learn how to create Powerful Interactions. We will briefly discuss the growing concerns regarding the use of technology by very young children as well as the decreasing amount of time children spend outside. Participants will also be introduced to a variety of natural materials and ideas for developing nature-based play settings for indoor settings. Consideration will be given to the role of observation, assessment, and goal setting when facilitating development in nature. Participants will be introduced to some intriguing concepts such as why dirt is good for the body and how simply adding green spaces will help to enhance the wellbeing of very young children and the people who care for and work with them.
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