Outdoor Nature Play and STEAM Learning in Early Childhood

Outdoor nature play is more than just fun for children; it has numerous benefits, including supporting STEM learning and early brain development.

Outdoor Nature Play

For generations, the great outdoors has provided children with an endless source of fun and exploration. From splashing in puddles to turning over rocks to see what lives underneath, children are naturally drawn to the outdoors and the ever-changing environment. However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend towards structured indoor activities and increasing hours of screen time. As parents and educators are bombarded with endless appeals for children’s time and attention, time to play and explore outdoors takes up less of the schedule.

It is important to remember that outdoor play is more than just fun for children; it has numerous benefits, including supporting STEM learning and early brain development. Parents and early childhood education professionals can support the development of early STEM learning and support brain development through natural outdoor play for young children.

Early learning providers and parents don’t need to trek deep into the wilderness to find opportunities for natural play and exploration. Experiential outdoor play is any free play that takes place in a natural setting, like a playground, park, or backyard. It is characterized by unstructured, child-directed exploration and experimentation. This type of play is important for young children because it provides opportunities for them to engage in STEM learning, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEAM, which incorporates the arts. STEM/STEAM learning is important for young children because it helps to develop their critical thinking, social-emotional, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. It also helps them to develop an appreciation for the natural world and an understanding of the systems and cycles around us.

Here are 5 ways research shows children benefit from free outdoor play in nature:

Physical Health and Wellness: According to the Child Mind Institute, children in the United States spend an average of 4 to 7 minutes per day playing outside and 7 hours in front of a screen. Adding unstructured outdoor play helps children to develop fine and gross motor skills while increasing overall physical fitness. Active outdoor play encourages risk-taking and reduces the risk of developing adolescent and adult diabetes.
Cognitive Development: Outdoor nature play supports cognitive and brain development. It helps children to develop their imagination and creativity as well as problem-solving and decision-making skills. Outdoor play allows for an endless array of projects that support STEAM learning, such as building forts with branches, planting an edible garden, collecting natural materials for collages, and observing seasonal changes.
Social Development: Outdoor play provides opportunities for social-emotional development. It provides opportunities for children to interact with other kids and develop social skills, such as sharing, problem-solving, regulating self-control, taking turns, and cooperating. Outdoor play also provides space to develop an understanding for their place in and connection to their community and the natural world.
Emotional Development: Outdoor play is important for emotional development. It provides opportunities for children to experience a range of emotions, such as joy, excitement, and wonder. It also provides opportunities for them to learn how to manage their emotions and to develop resilience.
Environmental Awareness: Outdoor play is important for environmental awareness. It provides opportunities for children to learn about the natural world and to develop an appreciation for it. It also helps them to understand the importance of protecting the environment.

Traditional Plants and Foods

Outdoor natural play and activities are great opportunities to introduce children to healthy food choices. In American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, introducing natural outdoor play and learning provides additional cultural and health benefits, including diabetes prevention and an opportunity to introduce traditional plants and foods to young children. The CDC reports AI/AN communities experience the highest rate of diabetes of any racial or ethnic group, with adult rates over 2x that of all other groups, and youth diagnoses increasing 68% from 1994-2004. Providing pathways to reconnect Tribal communities with traditional plants and foods to improve health and wellness has been successfully adopted in many Tribal communities and AI/AN early learning programs.

Salmonberry is an edible fruit native to the Pacific Northwest and Coast Salish region.

The plant, leaves, flowers, and berries have numerous traditional uses.

Natural outdoor play and STEM/STEAM learning can include opportunities for young AI/AN children and families to explore connections to traditional plants and foods through community garden projects, guided exploration of local environments, and connecting Tribal language learning to natural exploration. Early Learning programs and parents who make active outdoor learning a regular part of children’s routines support improved health outcomes while building intergenerational connections and passing on valuable cultural knowledge.

STEM and Brain Development

As children are provided opportunities to freely explore natural spaces and materials they are able to engage the “little scientist” inside. The science of early learning happens through experimentation, repetition, and testing when children use play to engage with the world around them. During the early years of massive brain development teachers and parents can support STEAM learning by creating opportunities for children to flex their critical thinking, inquiry, and creativity muscles.

The science of early learning happens through experimentation, repetition, and testing when children use play to engage with the world around them.

According to the NAEYC, although many educators are intimidated by the concept of early STEAM education, the foundations of STEAM learning begin with providing the environment and tools for children to observe, ask questions, and conduct experiments with adult support available, but not leading. Educators and parents who want to provide engaging, hands-on nature learning experiences can begin with simple outings and unstructured, yet supported, outdoor play.

In conclusion, experiential natural outdoor play is an essential part of childhood. It provides children with opportunities for STEM learning and brain development, as well as physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. As parents and educators, it is important to encourage children to spend time in exploring the natural world and to provide them with opportunities for unstructured, child-directed play. By doing so, we can help them to develop into well-rounded individuals who are curious, creative, and resilient.

Alicia Allard, MS ECE

Little Hawk Consulting