Outdoor Education Commons^™

Listening To Children: Perceptions Of Nature And Biophilia At Mountain School, Donald J. Burgess, Jolie Mayer-Smith

Secondary Education

This exploratory study investigates children’s perceptions and experiences of nature during a residential outdoor environmental education program and contributes to an understanding of how nature experiences arouse biophilia, a love of life and all living things.

How can we promote a responsible attitude and caring view of the earth and its inhabitants among young people? Limited research suggests that contact with the natural world, especially during middle childhood, occupies a surprisingly important place in a child’s emotional responsiveness and receptivity.