Introductions and Special Moments

1. Worlds of Wonder:Increasing Children’s Outdoor Experiences Through Library VisitsLorraine Lander, Ph.D.SUNY Empire State Collegelorraine.lander@esc.edu

2. Introductions and Special Moments • Introductions, where are you from, what is your role related to public libraries? • Take a few moments and consider this question. Do you recall any positive special moments in the outdoors, perhaps when you were a child that you can still remember in vivid detail? (Psychologists call these flashbulb memories).

3. Special Moments and Places Two key features of childhood experiences and memories seem to form a foundation for love of nature • Special moments • Patterns • Value • Special Places • Patterns • Value

4. Overview • My background and interest in nature education • Breadth of nature education – number one goal is to get kids outside • Importance of nature experiences • Differences in children • Importance of stories (reading and creating) • Why it doesn’t have to be complicated • Libraries and nature experiences • ways you can encourage and what your library can do

5. Nature Education and Nature Experiences • Any type of nature experience where you learn can be considered nature education • Three main types of learning: • Knowledge (factual) • Emotions • Ethics

6. Nature Education & Nature Experiences 2 • Types of nature experiences • can be direct (physical contact), • indirect (zoos, aquariums, botanic gardens, etc.), • vicarious/symbolic (stories, videos, websites, etc.) • Nature education/experiences can plant the “seeds” of lifelong nature passions of those who take care of the environment (bird watchers, gardeners, hunters, fishermen, hikers, campers, etc.)

7. Some Quotes of Interest • E.O. Wilson (1993) “The natural world is the most information-rich environment people will ever encounter.” • Burroughs (1919) “Knowledge without love will not stick, but if love comes first, knowledge is sure to follow.” • Sobel (p. 13, 2008) “One transcendent experience in nature is worth a thousand nature facts.” • But that experience can spark a lifelong passion for nature learning

8. Benefits of Nature Experiences Your Brain on Nature (Selhub & Logan, 2012): • Nature reduces stress, increases positive affect, decreases anger and aggression • Increases serotonin • Combats technology fatigue • Promotes better eyesight in children • Promotes health (Japanese idea of forest bathing - shinrin-yoku)

9. Benefits of Nature Experiences 2 • Green exercise is more effective • Nature is very sensory, cognitive benefits of sensory experiences (for being aware, present, and mindful) • Positive benefits of natural connection to animals • Time outside helps understanding of living systems, how they support us, and how interconnected we are with other creatures and our ecosystem. • Nature experiences promote positive environmental viewpoints

10. Benefits of Nature Experiences 3 • Chawla (1998) strong environmentalists had childhoods where they spent hours in wild or semi-wild areas, along with an adult who taught them respect for nature. • Wells & Likers (2006) environmentalism is associated with childhood play in wild and semi wild areas, as well as camping, hunting, fishing, and gardening experiences. • Nature experiences can be a kind of trophy hunting - collecting experiences as the “trophy.”

11. Emotions and Nature: Curiosity • Children are born curious, learn through playful exploration • Challenge increases curiosity in young children • The best nature experiences are led by curiosity: • Make things mysterious (go on adventures, wayfinding, walkabouts, etc.) • Allow child to follow their own interests • Model your own curiosity and investigation • Make it a priority over predetermined learning goals

12. Emotions and Nature: Wonder and Awe • What is wonder? • Related to curiosity • Unexpected • Sense of specialness • What is awe? • Related to wonder, but stronger • May be positive or negative • Often includes a sense of reverence, vastness, or respect

13. Nature Experiences Promote Sense of Place • Topophilia (love of place) • Importance of the local and relatedness to where we live • Sense of belonging (which has value for emotional health) • Sense of security • Place, as part of identity • Place attachment • One way to develop a sense of place is to ask yourself what’s special in your area?

14. Nature Attachment Sense of place develops to attachment through stages • Stage One: Initial contact • Stage Two: Building skills and knowledge • Stage Three: Competence level • Stage Four: Expertise, place identity, and place attachment

15. Nature Attachment 2 Stage Three and Four where lifelong passions may begin (library materials can support these): • Bird watchers • Gardeners • Hunters • Fishermen • Hikers • Campers • Kayakers, canoeists, rock climbers, etc.

16. Child Development and Nature • Young child (3 to 6) – curious play, uses senses to explore, can describe what they see, can draw simple pictures, tell simple stories. Answers questions through acting things out. • Middle childhood (7 to 11) – more goal driven, interested in map making, can observe, record, ask questions and make theories. Can think through and plan activities.

17. Nature and Children’s Needs/Personalities • Children differ in ways that may interact with what nature experiences they are drawn to, for example differ in: • Confidence • Natural activity level • Reactions to new situations (positive, negative, slow to warm up) • Host of other learned beliefs and attitudes that may impact nature experiences response • Model what they see in others

18. Principles for Creation of Nature Activities These attributes (Sobel, 2008) were found in highly rated nature activities: • Adventurous, included fantasy and imagination, included animals and allies, maps and paths, special places, small worlds, types of hunting and gathering. • Nature play themes included making forts and special places, hunting and gathering games, shaping small worlds, friendships with animals.

19. Best Practices in Constructing Nature Activities • Active • Sensory/Mindfulness • Open ended • Child determines goals • Mysterious and adventurous (at the comfort level of the child)

20. Major Themes of Nature Education and Experiences My observations of what’s out there online: • Activities • Science themes • Arts and creativity themes • Positive emotional mood and stress management • Connection with others, empathy, stewardship

21. Theme 1 - Activity Play and Nature • Scavenger hunts • Nature bingo • Exploration and discovery • Collecting items • Buildings forts and special places

22. Theme 2 - Nature and Science • Features logical and systematic thinking (critical thinking) • Cycles of observe, record, analyze, evaluate • Asking questions • Testing theories • Are most effective if led by child’s curiosity

23. Theme 3 - Nature and Creativity • Observe, record through creation or synthesize, then create • Plan, action, product • Inspiration from nature (emulate it) or using nature materials to create • Land art • Using imagination and fantasy to create

24. Theme 4 - Nature and Stress Management • Importance of emotional state • Ask before and after to promote awareness • Focus on sensory observations during outdoor experiences to promote mindfulness • Sit spots for meditation • Awareness of self

25. Theme 5 - Nature and Connecting • Empathy • Stewardship • Awareness of others • Ethical reasoning • Good nature citizenship • Reciprocity, systems thinking

26. Theme 5 - Cultivating Compassion and Empathy • Knowledge and feeling components of empathy • Anthropomorphism may encourage children’s development of empathy through supporting the idea of multiple perspectives • Care for animals and nature (stewardship) practices empathy • Best practices include proactive, framing of shared perspectives, experience, and modeling.

27. Stories and Nature (Another Connection to Libraries) • Reading stories • Bibliotherapy • https://www.pinterest.com/lorrainelander/nature-education/books-about-nature/ • Creating nature stories • Story ideas – animal tracks, tree damage, debris on beach, river bank, chewed leaves. • Role playing (make believe) can also support this

28. Indigenous Perspective and Stories • Indigenous perspective with emphasis on relationships, reciprocity, and empathy seems to promote environmental stewardship. • Feature: • Strong sense of spirituality (sense of interconnected of world which nurtures sense of wonder) • Deeply rooted sense of place • Recognition everything is related • Emphasis on reciprocity

29. What Can Libraries Do? It doesn’t have to be complicated to encourage nature experiences Flexible, less structured activities may be best for encouraging special moments May be better if outdoor time is less structured and more focused on play

30. What Can Libraries Do? • Libraries can do programming for children and/or parents • Introduce children, parents, and families to nature • Educate parents on the importance of their children spending time outside • Provide ideas to parents for outdoor activities • Encourage ongoing nature activities through supporting those life long passions such as gardening, hiking, camping, kayaking, mountain climbing, hunting, fishing, etc.

31. Resources 1 In addition to what you already have in library holdings: • Pinterest (a wealth of ideas) • Pull in Indigenous People for nature stories • Pull in nature enthusiasts for programs (bird watchers, gardeners, campers, etc.) • Partnerships with local parks, nature centers, zoos, etc.

32. Resources 2 • Disneynature (nature activities connected to Disney movies, https://nature.disney.com/educators-guides) • Wings, Worms, and Wonder (art and nature, www.wingswormsandwonder.com) • National Forest Service: http://www.discovertheforest.org/what-to-do/ • National Wildlife Federation: https://www.nwf.org/en/Kids-and-Family/Connecting-Kids-and-Nature

33. More Suggestions • Consider creating a series of activities for children or families to complete • Libraries can encourage completion through recognition • For example: • Post the names of children working on nature activities. (green leaves with name on board, get stamp or sticker when items completed) • When all modules are completed, get green star with name of child on board.

34. More Suggestions 2 More suggestions: • Focus on planting seeds for love of nature by encouraging nature interactions through programs and materials • Support the growth of nature attachment as it develops • Encourage and support parents and caregivers to experience the wonder of nature with children

35. Resources for Your Libraries • Pamphlets • Posters • Leaf Stamps • Modules (see website) • Powerpoint (see website) • Website

36. My Work: Activity Module Approach • One – Becoming a Nature Explorer (can be broken into two parts) • about building awareness of outdoor spaces through senses, fun activities like doing wayfaring and walkabouts • Two – Creating a Base Camp (can be broken into two or three parts) • about making a special place for the child • exploring homes for other creatures • building habitats (and fairy houses for those interested) • starting collections

37. Small Group Break into small groups (3 to 4 people?) to discuss the following: • What have you tried, what worked, and what didn’t, why? • What new approaches are you interest in, who is the target audience, what do you need to carry this out? • Would an activity module approach be of interest to you? • Brainstorm and share in your groups. • Report out any new plans you are considering.

38. Wrapping Up • Questions or comments? • How to contact me: • Lorraine Lander (lorraine.lander@esc.edu or lorraine.lander@gmail.com) • Website: www.sustainablechildren.com • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lorrainelander/nature-education/ Thank you !!!

39. References • Burroughs, John (1919). Field and Study, Cambridge,MA: Riverside Press. • Wilson, EO. (1993). Biophilia and the conservation ethic. SR Kellert (Ed.) & EO Wilson (Ed.). In The Biophilia Hypothesis. Washington, DC: Island Press, pp 31-41. • Selhub, E. M., & Logan, A. C. (2012). Your brain on nature: The science of nature's influence on your health, happiness and vitality. John Wiley & Sons. • Sobel, D. (2008). Sobel, D. (2008). Childhood and nature: Design principles for educators. Stenhouse Publishers.