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Wild Hope: The Transformative Power of Children Engaging with Nature

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Research Handbook on Childhoodnature

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

Abstract

The international movement to connect children with nature continues to grow. While thoughtful and concerned people, including scholars, have written and worried about children’s disconnect from nature in their everyday lives for decades, the recent growth of the children and nature movement is heartening. With that growth come some positive results as well as challenges. One example of positive change is the increase in research related to nature deficit and the benefits of nature connection. While the number of studies with methodological improvements increases, important questions remain to be addressed. Even so, a review of the literature yields significant evidence-based insights and recommendations. Our chapter focuses especially on examples of evidence-based actions people are taking in all of the major settings where children live, learn, work, and play – that is, in their home environments, schools, and communities. We focus especially on those actions being taken to create positive, transformative experiences; support children’s healthy physical, mental, and social development; strengthen communities through nature connection; and benefit the health of the Earth itself. Such experiences and actions are the foundation for achieving what we are calling wild hope – a way of being and living that is rooted in nature-based experiences and contributes to a healthy present and future for today’s children and generations to come.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Children and Nature Network, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Cheryl Charles & Richard Louv

Authors
  1. Cheryl Charles
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  2. Richard Louv
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Correspondence to Cheryl Charles .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Sustainability Environment and the Arts in Education (SEAE) Research Cluster, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Campus, Coolangatta, QLD, Australia

    Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles

  2. Department of Education, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Karen Malone

  3. Department of Education, University of Bath, Bath, UK

    Elisabeth Barratt Hacking

Section Editor information

  1. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

    Sean Blenkinsop

  2. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Peter Kahn

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Charles, C., Louv, R. (2020). Wild Hope: The Transformative Power of Children Engaging with Nature. In: Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, A., Malone, K., Barratt Hacking, E. (eds) Research Handbook on Childhoodnature . Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67286-1_29

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