Shifting Culture Towards Endorsement and Advocacy of Outdoor Play and Learning - A Collaborative Case Study with KidActive

Oct 15, 2026

Contemporary environmental crises stem largely from a widening disconnect between people and the natural world, especially affecting children’s everyday relationships with nature. This paper examines how a school-ground naturalization program shapes an outdoor play and learning ecosystem through a collaborative, qualitative case study. Findings show that outdoor play and learning spaces can drive a culture shift across school communities. The study also underscores the need for supportive policy and regulation to sustain this change.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

A Need for Nature

Naturalized Playgrounds as a Potential Solution

Shifting Culture Towards Endorsement and Advocacy of Outdoor Play and Learning: A Collaborative Case Study with KidActive Zachary Stevens, University of Waterloo, Bryan S. R. Grimwood, University of Waterloo, Shawna Babcock, KidActive, & Carly Meissner, KidActive, Canada Abstract Contemporary environmental crises are often attributable to a growing disconnect between humans and the natural world. One potential solution to this disconnect, as it relates to children, is the naturalizing of school playgrounds. This paper seeks to contextualize the impacts of a school ground naturalization program on the outdoor play and learning ecosystem. Drawing on results of a collaborative and qualitative case study, this paper highlights the ability of an outdoor play and learning spaces program to induce a culture shift toward the endorsement and advocacy of outdoor play and learning among school communities, catalyzing a need for supporting policy and regulation. Resumé Les crises environnementales de notre époque sont souvent attribuables à un éloignement de plus en plus grand entre l’humain et la nature. Pour aider les enfants à rebâtir ce lien, une solution possible est de ramener la nature dans les cours d’école. Le présent article vise à contextualiser les impacts d’un programme de naturalisation des terrains de jeu des écoles sur le jeu en plein air et l’écosystèmed’apprentissage. S’inspirant des résultats d’une étude de cas collaborative et qualitative, le présent article met en lumière la capacité d’un programme de jeu extérieur et d’espaces d’apprentissage d’induire un changement de culture pour la promotion du jeu et de l’apprentissage extérieur dans les milieux scolaires, catalysant la nécessité de développer des politiques et des règlements pour appuyer cette démarche. Keywords: naturalized playgrounds, outdoor play and learning, policy and regulations, case study, narrative, logic model, nature connection Mots clés : naturalisation des terrains de jeu, jeu et apprentissage en plein air, politiques et règlements, étude de cas, narration, modèle logique, connexion à la nature 106 Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 23 (2), 2020 Introduction A Need for Nature The regressing state of the natural environment is one of the biggest challenges of our time (Dearden & Mitchell, 2009) . Unfortunately, modern environmentalism, arguably the largest social movement to attempt to address environmental degradation, has been relatively ineffective in provoking substantial change. Indeed, we are still faced with numerous environmental issues that warrant significant concern (Burns & LeMoyne, 2001; Cianchi, 2015) . It has been argued that these issues persist because of a growing disconnect between humans and the natural environment (Flowers, Lipsett, & Barrett, 2014; Liefländer, Fröhlich, Bogner, & Schultz, 2012; Nisbet, Zelenski, & Murphy, 2009; Pyle, 2003). Essentially, the contention is that as human connection with the natural world diminishes, we become increasingly negligent toward its preservation (Pyle, 2003) . The requisite response is to foster a human–nature (re)connection, something to which Louv (2005) has brought marked attention. Louv’s articulation of our contemporary “nature-deficit disorder” has provided much impetus for backto-nature campaigns that advocate the necessity of human–nature connectionsand the relevance of direct experiences in nature for fostering health, well-being, and environmental stewardship. Researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, among others, have heeded the call to devise ways to “most effectively and efficiently address [Louv’s] nature-deficit disorder in an increasingly urban and technology-centered age”(Kuo, 2013, p. 184) . In a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the notion of nature-deficit, Kuo (2013) developed several recommendations aimed at addressing it at a population level. Among the recommendations was the process of “green[ing] everyday

FAQs

What disconnect drives the environmental problem discussed in the paper?

The paper links contemporary environmental crises to an increasing disconnect between humans and the natural world.

How does the paper address the problem for children?

It focuses on naturalizing school playgrounds to foster human–nature (re)connection through outdoor play and learning.

What does the case study suggest about school communities?

The collaborative qualitative case study indicates that outdoor play and learning spaces can induce a culture shift toward endorsement and advocacy of outdoor play and learning.

Oct 15, 2026

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