Browsing by Subject "nature play"

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    Nature-Based Early Learning and Preschoolers' Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary: An Exploratory Study
    (2024-08) Stelley, Hannah M
    This study examined how nature-based practices affect preschoolers’ receptive and expressive vocabulary. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Expressive Vocabulary Test were administered to 134 children from 11 preschool classes at the beginning and end of the 2022-2023 preschool year. Results suggest that nature-based practices that are integrated into preschool programs support significant vocabulary growth, but that effectiveness varies by public versus private setting and children’s socioeconomic status. This study adds to the literature surrounding effective practices for supporting vocabulary development. It also adds to the growing body of research that incorporates the impact of nature play on children’s overall development and school readiness.
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    Nature-Based Recreation: A Resilient Communities Project–GreenStep Cities Guide
    (Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota., 2016) Gary, Hannah (editor)
    Nature-based play principles focus on providing children with more opportunities to interact in a natural environment and exercise active imagination for play. Incorporating more nature-based play elements into existing parks and play areas has the potential to increase physical activity and improve other developmental processes. This tool outlines the benefits of nature-based play, offers background information on the theories behind nature-based play ideas, and gives design recommendations for incorporating nature-based play elements into existing parks. This document was prepared by the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP) for the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. This resource was developed from three reports completed by graduate and undergraduate students through a partnership between RCP and the City of Rosemount, Minnesota, during the 2014–2015 academic year. Although the original reports were developed for a specific community, students’ findings and recommendations have been synthesized and generalized, and additional research has been conducted where necessary, to produce a resource that is relevant to communities throughout Minnesota. The original student reports can be found at https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/180465, https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/180467, and http://hdl.handle.net/11299/180468.