Abstract:
Play in nature-based environments in childhood education has positive benefits for child development. Although previous reviews showed the benefits of play in nature-based environments for child development they did not attempt to understand how and why nature-based environments contribute to play quality. This review aims to explore the value of play in nature-based environments compared to non-nature-based environments for developmental outcomes of young children (2-8 year). We searched for studies that investigated the relation between play and nature-based environments on the databases PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were: (1) the study focused on play in/on a nature based environment, (2) the study included participants between the age of 2-8 years, (3) it was an empirical study, (4) the study was conducted in the context of early childhood education (ECE), and (5) the study included participants without special needs or disabilities. Using these criteria we selected 28 qualitative studies with an overall sample size of N = 998 children aged 2-8 years. The studies were synthesized using an adaptation of Noblit and Hare\'s meta-ethnographic approach. Three overarching themes were found: (1) the aspects of play quality that are related to nature-based environments, (2) the aspects of nature-based environments that support play, and (3) the aspects of teacher-child interactions that contribute to nature play quality. The meta themes resonate with play theories and theories of the restorative value of nature. We draw on the qualitative data to refine and extend these theories, and to come up with a definition of the concept \"nature play.\" This systematic review also sets a base for future research on play interventions in nature-based environments. We argue that (1) research will benefit from thoroughly conceptualizing the role of play in the development of young children, (2) using the affordances theory research will benefit from moving beyond the individual play actions as a unit of analysis, and (3) from an educational perspective it is important to shift the focus of nature play to its benefits for children\'s cognitive development.
摘要:
在儿童教育中基于自然的环境中玩耍对儿童发展具有积极的好处。尽管以前的评论显示了在基于自然的环境中玩耍对儿童发展的好处,但他们并没有试图理解基于自然的环境如何以及为什么有助于玩耍质量。这篇综述旨在探讨与非自然环境相比,自然环境中的游戏对幼儿(2-8岁)发育结果的价值。我们在PsycINFO数据库上搜索了调查游戏与基于自然的环境之间关系的研究,ERIC,和WebofScience。纳入/排除标准是:(1)研究侧重于在自然环境中/在自然环境中玩耍,(2)研究对象为2-8岁,(3)是一项实证研究,(4)这项研究是在幼儿教育(ECE)的背景下进行的,(5)该研究包括没有特殊需要或残疾的参与者。使用这些标准,我们选择了28项定性研究,总体样本量为N=998名2-8岁儿童。这些研究是使用Nablet和Hare的元人种学方法进行综合的。发现了三个总体主题:(1)与自然环境相关的游戏质量方面,(2)支持游戏的自然环境方面,(3)有助于自然游戏质量的师生互动方面。元主题与游戏理论和自然修复价值理论产生共鸣。我们利用定性数据来完善和扩展这些理论,并提出了“自然游戏”概念的定义。“这项系统评价也为未来在自然环境中进行游戏干预的研究奠定了基础。我们认为(1)研究将受益于彻底概念化游戏在幼儿发展中的作用,(2)使用能力理论研究将受益于超越个人游戏行为作为分析单位,(3)从教育的角度来看,重要的是将自然游戏的重点转移到对儿童认知发展的好处上。