Children’s connection to nature
A comparison between forest school and conventional school students
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21427919 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Daphne Goldman (0000-0003-0443-2276, Beit Berl College, corresponding author), Daniel Malamud Bleier (Tel Aviv University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-17 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-18 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Environmental Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0095-8964 • E-ISSN: 1940-1892 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00958964.2026.2688504 |
| OpenAlex | W7165153365 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 46 |
This study explores connection-to-nature (CtN) among primary-school children attending Forest School (FS) and conventional school settings amid growing concerns about nature disconnection in urbanized, technology-driven societies. As opportunities for engagement with nature decline, schools may play a critical role in providing exposure. This study explores whether children attending FS differ in their cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of CtN compared with peers in conventional schooling, addressing a gap in empirical research on associations between FS educational contexts and children’s CtN. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, validated survey and visual instruments were administered to children in rural primary schools in Israel- two FSs and one conventional public school. Across instruments, FS students reported higher levels of CtN, reflected in stronger environmental awareness, emotional affinity with nature and protective behaviors. Contributions to FS research are discussed and directions for further research clarifying the nature of associations between FS contexts and student’s CtN
Connection (principal bundle) · Disconnection · Educational research · Empirical research · Environmental education · Primary education · Scale (ratio) · Animal and Plant Science Education · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Urban Green Space and Health
Meta‐analysis of human connection to nature and proenvironmental behavior
Age and connection to nature
Outdoor Time, Screen Time, and Connection to Nature
Connectedness as a Core Conservation Concern
Connections with Nature and Environmental Behaviors
Connection to Nature
The NR-6
A Competence Model for Environmental Education
Nature and the Life Course
A Measure of Nature Connectedness for Children and Adults
Connectedness to Nature
Beyond knowing nature
Inclusion with Nature
The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness
Environmental Identity
The connectedness to nature scale
Childhood nature connection and constructive hope
The importance of connection to nature in assessing environmental education programs
The positive psychology of sustainability
The world is your oyster’
Forest school education in Israel
I know how to say it, but I still don’t know it in my hands’
Evaluation of the non‐formal forest education sector in the state of North Rhine‐Westphalia, Germany
Nature-based environmental education of children
The Participation of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults in Nature-Based Recreation
The Relationship between Parental Attitudes toward Nature and the Amount of Time Children Spend in Outdoor Recreation
The Nature Relatedness Scale
Concepts and measures related to connection to nature
| Highly cited | No |
|---|