Incorporating nature into formal early childhood education is not new; one education philosophy that supports this is the Montessori approach which dates back to 1909. Based on the Montessori education philosophy, educators include nature-based play and the use of natural materials in classrooms as this is believed to improve children’s sensory development. Another noteworthy education tradition is the Forest School, inspired by the Scandinavian principle of Friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv).

Research on Early Childhood Environmental Education (ECEE), however, only started in the 1990s and took off in the 2010s. A summary of literature by Ardoin and Bowers (2020) revealed that ECEE is positively associated with both environmental and developmental outcomes. Most prominently, research focused on studying environmentally related outcomes found improved environmental literacy development among children who have experienced ECEE. The literature also points to ECEE supporting young children’s development in their cognition, affect, and physical growth.

ECEE is usually delivered through play and movement — this aligns with Piaget’s view of children between 2 and 7 years being primarily preoperational, a stage of cognitive development where learning takes place through doing. Thus, ECEE is more commonly found in preschools that prescribe to child-led learning pedagogies such as inquiry-based learning, discovery learning, and outdoor learning environments.

According to the Belgrade Charter, there are 6 objectives to environmental education: Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, Evaluation ability and Participation. While ECEE’s contribution to objectives which require intellectual demand are limited, it plays a crucial role in shaping children’s awareness of environmental issues, attitudes of concern and participation through their daily habits which they will carry with them to adulthood. 

ECEE in Singapore

Beyond being driven by educational philosophies environmentally-centered and developmental outcomes, another possible basis for implementing ECEE is its ability to fulfill national education objectives. In Singapore, in the absence of national standards for early childhood education, research on ECEE is limited. How then can the value of ECEE be justified?

A qualitative study by Lyne Strachan et al (2017) suggests that implementing an Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) is not only beneficial for “sensory exploration, gross motor development, and nurturing an understanding and appreciation of nature”, but OLEs also align with the Ministry of Education’s ethos of developing 21st Century competent children through providing platforms for children to co-design their learning.