Exploring the deliberate development of children’s attention, wellbeing, self-understanding and self-regulation skills through outdoor, multi-sensory, nature connection activities: Bringing our outer and inner natures together

Supervisors: Bee Hartwell, Marcus Grace, Louisa Thomas

The aims and objectives of this research project are to evaluate the impact of the Wild InnerSense (WISE) programme. WISE was co-created by the thesis team, and was designed to enable children and young people (CYP) to feel more securely settled within themselves, more self-aware and in-tune with the current and changing nature of their own experiences. The programme also aims to inspire CYP to become more consciously connected to the natural, living world. The field in which this research sits is Nature Connectedness.

Children in years 3-5 (n=315) from four primary schools on the south-eastern coast of England took part in WISE. The programme was delivered over a six-week period in the summer term of 2023. 

Participants completed self-report questionnaires one week prior to taking part (providing their own control condition), and repeated the measures pre and post participation in the 12-session intervention. Questionnaires assessed attention (D2 test), self-regulation, self-understanding, sensorial attunement (using the Sense of Self questionnaire, designed alongside WISE), wellbeing (Kid-KINDL) and nature-connectedness (Nature Connectedness Index). 

A repeated measures within and between groups design was used. Statistical analysis has yet to be carried out, however t-tests/ANOVA will be used to look for correlations in the data. It is hypothesised that taking part in WISE will increase feelings of nature connectedness, the ability of children to self-regulate and understand their senses and feelings, pay attention and improve their wellbeing. It is also hypothesised that there will be correlations between increased nature connectedness and wellbeing, and each of the other measures. 

A systematic literature review investigating how nature connectedness can be deliberately developed in children and young people has also been undertaken. It also asked what are the implications for improving nature connectedness in children in terms of children's learning and learning behaviours.