Let Them Run Outside When It's Raining
Ecological Civilization and Nature-Based Play
image from Nature-Based Play: https://www.naturebasedplay.com.au/
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Let the children be free; encourage
them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and when the grass of the meadows is wet with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath its shade; let them shout and laugh when the sun wakes them in the morning. — Maria Montessori, Italian physician and educator |
Nature-Based Play
in Urban Environments
- Mud Kitchens: Children use mud, water, sticks, and other natural materials to create pretend meals, encouraging imaginative play and sensory exploration.
- Stream Play: Playing in and around streams, children can build dams, float sticks and leaves, or simply splash in the water, fostering curiosity and engagement with natural water features.
- Rock Climbing and Balancing: Navigating natural rock formations and balancing on logs or stones helps develop physical coordination and problem-solving skills.
- Building Dens and Forts: Using branches, leaves, and other natural materials, children can construct shelters or hideouts, enhancing their creativity and teamwork.
- Nature Art: Creating art using natural materials such as leaves, pinecones, acorns, and flowers allows children to express their creativity and connect with their surroundings.
- Wildlife Observation: Watching birds, insects, or other wildlife encourages a sense of wonder and respect for nature, as well as developing patience and observation skills.
- Sand Play: Playing in natural sand areas, like beaches or sand dunes, children can dig, build sandcastles, or create imaginary worlds.
- Nature Trails and Hikes: Walking on trails and exploring forests or meadows, children engage in physical activity while learning about different plants, animals, and ecosystems.
- Tree Climbing: Climbing trees helps build strength, balance, and confidence while providing a different perspective on the natural environment.
- Scavenger Hunts: Searching for specific natural items (like different types of leaves, rocks, or flowers) promotes exploration and knowledge of the local flora and fauna.
- Gardening: Planting and caring for a garden teaches children about plant growth, ecosystems, and the responsibility of nurturing living things.
- Nature-Themed Storytelling: Using the natural environment as a backdrop, children can engage in imaginative play and storytelling, creating narratives inspired by their surroundings.
- Stargazing: Lying on the ground and watching the night sky allows for a calm, contemplative connection with nature and can spark an interest in astronomy.
- Building Natural Sculptures: Using sticks, stones, and other natural materials to create sculptures or structures encourages creativity and an appreciation for the aesthetics of the natural world.
Nature-Based Play and
Ecological Civilization
An ecological civilization consists of people who live with respect and care for the community of life, sensitive to the fact that they are small but included in the larger web of life, and that they need to be stewards of the more-than-human creation. Its units are local communities that are creative, compassionate, diverse, inclusive, humane to animals, and good for the earth, with no one left behind.
Children will acquire attitudes toward life in such a civilization, not through didactic preaching but through nature-based play. Nature-based play is more than outdoor education. It is play amid which children naturally learn to appreciate the rhythms and cycles of the earth, develop empathy for living creatures, and understand the interconnectedness of all life forms. This form of play fosters curiosity, creativity, and a deep sense of belonging to the natural world. Through activities such as building forts, exploring streams, climbing trees, and observing wildlife, children develop a direct, experiential relationship with nature that instills values of stewardship and respect. They learn to recognize the beauty and importance of biodiversity, the necessity of conservation, and the impact of their actions on the environment. This immersive engagement cultivates an intrinsic motivation to care for and protect the earth, laying the foundation for a generation that will sustain and nurture an ecological civilization. In such play, children simultaneously participate in the creativity of the universe itself and, for those in the process tradition, the playfulness of the divine life
Children will acquire attitudes toward life in such a civilization, not through didactic preaching but through nature-based play. Nature-based play is more than outdoor education. It is play amid which children naturally learn to appreciate the rhythms and cycles of the earth, develop empathy for living creatures, and understand the interconnectedness of all life forms. This form of play fosters curiosity, creativity, and a deep sense of belonging to the natural world. Through activities such as building forts, exploring streams, climbing trees, and observing wildlife, children develop a direct, experiential relationship with nature that instills values of stewardship and respect. They learn to recognize the beauty and importance of biodiversity, the necessity of conservation, and the impact of their actions on the environment. This immersive engagement cultivates an intrinsic motivation to care for and protect the earth, laying the foundation for a generation that will sustain and nurture an ecological civilization. In such play, children simultaneously participate in the creativity of the universe itself and, for those in the process tradition, the playfulness of the divine life
Nature-Based Play for City Planners
The ARUP organization
ARUP is a global collective dedicated to sustainable development, utilizing technology, imagination, and rigor to shape a better world. ARUP offers a publication aimed at inspiring key decision-makers, built environment practitioners, local authorities, communities, and businesses to collaborate in fostering connections between nature and play.
"The "Nature-based Play" publication explores the crucial relationship between play, nature, and climate resilience. It draws on insights from leading experts in urban development, early childhood, play, and nature-based solutions. The publication is enriched with case studies from cities worldwide, demonstrating the integration of nature-based play into diverse urban environments such as parks, woodlands, neglected buildings, and schoolyards.
Each case study highlights how these interventions blend play, nature, culture, and climate considerations to create environments that support childhood well-being and development while enhancing climate resilience. The overarching aim of the publication is to integrate play with nature to create healthier, more playful, and more resilient environments where children, communities, and the planet can thrive."
Process Philosophy and Play
Process philosophy, as influenced by thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, views children's play as a vital and dynamic expression of creativity, spontaneity, and relationality. Here are some key aspects of how process philosophy might interpret children's play:
In short, process philosophy views children's play as a rich, multifaceted activity that embodies creativity, relationality, experiential learning, and the dynamic nature of becoming. It is an essential part of their development and a reflection of the broader processes that shape all of existence.
- Creativity and Novelty: Play is a fundamental expression of creativity and novelty, core concepts in process philosophy. Through play, children explore new possibilities, create imaginative worlds, and engage in activities that reflect the process of becoming.
- Relationality: Play involves interactions with others, whether peers, caregivers, or imaginary companions. These interactions are seen as relational events where children experience and contribute to the web of relationships that make up their world.
- Experiential Learning: Children's play is a form of experiential learning, where they learn about their environment, themselves, and others. This aligns with the process philosophical view that knowledge and understanding arise from lived experiences and interactions.
- Embodiment: Play is an embodied activity, emphasizing the importance of physical movement and sensory experiences. Process philosophy values the body's role in shaping experience and understanding, recognizing that play engages children holistically.
- Imagination and Potentiality: Play allows children to explore potentialities and alternative realities. This imaginative aspect of play reflects the process philosophical idea that reality is not fixed but is always open to new possibilities and creative transformations.
- Intrinsic Value: Process philosophy acknowledges the intrinsic value of play. It is not merely a means to an end but an important aspect of children's lives, contributing to their well-being, joy, and development.
- Temporal Flow: Play highlights the temporal flow of experience, as children move through different phases of activity and development. This resonates with the process philosophical emphasis on the ongoing, dynamic nature of reality.
In short, process philosophy views children's play as a rich, multifaceted activity that embodies creativity, relationality, experiential learning, and the dynamic nature of becoming. It is an essential part of their development and a reflection of the broader processes that shape all of existence.