Research into the importance of nature play, learning outdoors, risk-taking and children's mental and physical health and wellbeing forms the basis for the work we do.
Here you'll find the latest scientific research that shows the benefits of nature play for our children!
Use the Search function, or click on a keyword in Resource Categories to find research about a particular subject.
Nature Play WA's Research
Nature Play WA undertook a comprehensive literature review for the Education Department of WA that considers three critical elements to improving student experience and learning in school settings: outdoor learning, outdoor play and the school environment.
Nature Play WA, in conjunction with researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute, has created a ‘what you need to know’ guide for parents on the impacts of excessive screen time, highlighting new and relevant research in a clear and easy-to-understand manner.
This report, written to support Australia’s Outdoor Classroom Day, sets out not only a snapshot report on how much more playtime Australian children are getting compared to everyone else, but also an overview of why outdoor learning and play is so very important.
Curated Research
Children comprise one of the largest consumer groups of technology. Sleep is fundamental to optimal functioning during childhood, including health and behaviour. The purpose of this study was to explore bedtime electronic use and its impact on 3 health consequences—sleep quantity and quality, inattention, and body mass index.
Read MoreThis study explored 1) mothers’ and middle-childhood daughters’ attention after exposure to two different environments, and 2) their quality of family cohesion.
Read MoreAdolescents who spent more time on new media (including social media and electronic devices such as smartphones) were more likely to report mental health issues, and adolescents who spent more time on nonscreen activities (in-person social interaction, sports/exercise, homework, print media, and attending religious services) were less likely.
Read MoreEnriched environments elicit brain plasticity in animals. In humans it is unclear which environment is enriching. Researchers set out to identify geographical characteristics that constitute an enriched environment affecting the human brain.
Read MoreDefining the boundary of children’s ‘neighborhoods’ has important implications for understanding the contextual influences on child health. Additionally, insight into activities that occur outside people’s neighborhoods may indicate exposures that place-based studies cannot detect.
Read MoreResearchers evaluated the association between lifelong residential exposure to green space and attention during preschool and early primary school years.
Read MoreThis article explores the intersection of scholarly findings on adult play with ludic urban interventions (those encouraging spontaneous and undirected playfulness). Playful urban design answers our innate need to explore, discover, experiment and even test our mental and physical boundaries.
Read MoreActive play is a novel approach to addressing low physical activity levels and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children. This study aimed to determine if a new school-based, ‘Go2Play Active Play’ intervention improved school day physical activity and FMS.
Read MoreOptimizing physical activity during physical education is necessary for children to achieve daily physical activity recommendations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among various contextual factors with accelerometer measured physical activity during elementary physical education.
Read MoreA University of Vermont-led study of 300,000 children in 35 nations says kids whose watersheds have greater tree cover are less likely to experience diarrheal disease, the second leading cause of death for children under the age of five.
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