‘The toad jumps because he thinks I am lovely’
Children’s relatedness with local animals and opportunities for animal interaction in the school yard
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22425288 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Élise Peters (0000-0003-4467-9740, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, corresponding author), Mart Ottenheim (University of Applied Sciences Leiden), Dieuwke Hovinga (University of Applied Sciences Leiden), Evangelia Marina Konstantakou (University of Applied Sciences Leiden), Michiel Jan Dirk Hooykaas (0000-0001-8586-3849, Naturalis Biodiversity Center) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-03 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1472-9679 • E-ISSN: 1754-0402 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14729679.2026.2680676 |
| OpenAlex | W7163393301 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
Connecting children with nature is a priority on international policy agendas, yet fostering children’s connections with local animals remains challenging for schools. This project aims to support teachers in understanding children’s relationship with local animals and how schoolyards can be used to strengthen these relationships. The study characterizes the relationships children (5–11 year-olds) have with local animals and identifies opportunities for animal interactions in the schoolyard. We interviewed Dutch children (N=110) about their favorite animal and observed their strategies for finding animals in the schoolyard. Thematic analysis revealed three types of connections: ‘wowed by superpowers,’ reflecting fascination with animals’ unique abilities; ‘friendship,’ reflecting emotional bonds; and ‘interdependence,’ characterized by mutual recognition and response. Analyses further showed that children struggled to find animals in the schoolyard. The study offers recommendations for teachers to support children’s naturally developing connections with local animals and to expand opportunities for animal encounters at school.l.
Adventure Education · Animal behavior · Outdoor education · Social relation · Yard · Animal and Plant Science Education · Geographies of human-animal interactions · Human-Animal Interaction Studies
The Child in the Garden
Thematic Analysis
Common Worlds
Extinction of experience
Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World
Development and testing of the green schoolyard evaluation tool (GSET)
Animal biodiversity and specificity in children’s picture books
Primary School Educators’ Perspectives and Experiences of Nature-Based Play and Learning and Its Benefits, Barriers, and Enablers
A dog who I know quite well’
Facilitating Learnscape Development, Maintenance and Use
Introducing a fifth pedagogy
Interviewing Young Children
Methodological Pluralism and the Possibilities and Limits of Interviewing
Attitudes Toward Animals Among Norwegian Children and Adolescents
Attitudes toward Animals among Kindergarten Children
| Highly cited | No |
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