Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills
Nature-based education has grown exponentially throughout the United States. However, it has yet to be determined to what extent these programs are preparing children for formal schooling in kindergarten and beyond. This study directly assessed school readiness (i.e., early literacy and executive fu...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | AERA Open |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251362714 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849235330455044096 |
|---|---|
| author | Arianna E. Pikus Lori E. Skibbe Rachel A. Larimore David Sobel |
| author_facet | Arianna E. Pikus Lori E. Skibbe Rachel A. Larimore David Sobel |
| author_sort | Arianna E. Pikus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nature-based education has grown exponentially throughout the United States. However, it has yet to be determined to what extent these programs are preparing children for formal schooling in kindergarten and beyond. This study directly assessed school readiness (i.e., early literacy and executive function) skills of children who attended a nature-based preschool (n = 82; M age = 47.75 months) in comparison to children in a non-nature preschool setting (n = 58; M age = 50.16 months) in the fall and spring of one school year. Nature-based classrooms were shown to spend, on average, two hours more outside than the non-nature classrooms. Children at both locations developed skills in early literacy and some aspects of executive function (e.g., working memory and inhibitory control) at similar rates. Other aspects of executive function, such as behavioral self-regulation, were associated with greater growth for children attending non-nature classrooms. This study suggests high-quality nature-based preschools can be successful at promoting many areas of children’s school readiness but may need to be more intentional when supporting the development of some aspects of executive function. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9e2ff00a6aaf452aaa938950aaabe560 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2332-8584 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AERA Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-9e2ff00a6aaf452aaa938950aaabe5602025-08-20T04:02:50ZengSAGE PublishingAERA Open2332-85842025-08-011110.1177/23328584251362714Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function SkillsArianna E. PikusLori E. SkibbeRachel A. LarimoreDavid SobelNature-based education has grown exponentially throughout the United States. However, it has yet to be determined to what extent these programs are preparing children for formal schooling in kindergarten and beyond. This study directly assessed school readiness (i.e., early literacy and executive function) skills of children who attended a nature-based preschool (n = 82; M age = 47.75 months) in comparison to children in a non-nature preschool setting (n = 58; M age = 50.16 months) in the fall and spring of one school year. Nature-based classrooms were shown to spend, on average, two hours more outside than the non-nature classrooms. Children at both locations developed skills in early literacy and some aspects of executive function (e.g., working memory and inhibitory control) at similar rates. Other aspects of executive function, such as behavioral self-regulation, were associated with greater growth for children attending non-nature classrooms. This study suggests high-quality nature-based preschools can be successful at promoting many areas of children’s school readiness but may need to be more intentional when supporting the development of some aspects of executive function.https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251362714 |
| spellingShingle | Arianna E. Pikus Lori E. Skibbe Rachel A. Larimore David Sobel Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills AERA Open |
| title | Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills |
| title_full | Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills |
| title_fullStr | Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills |
| title_short | Investigating Nature-based Preschoolers Gains in Early Literacy and Select Executive Function Skills |
| title_sort | investigating nature based preschoolers gains in early literacy and select executive function skills |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584251362714 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ariannaepikus investigatingnaturebasedpreschoolersgainsinearlyliteracyandselectexecutivefunctionskills AT lorieskibbe investigatingnaturebasedpreschoolersgainsinearlyliteracyandselectexecutivefunctionskills AT rachelalarimore investigatingnaturebasedpreschoolersgainsinearlyliteracyandselectexecutivefunctionskills AT davidsobel investigatingnaturebasedpreschoolersgainsinearlyliteracyandselectexecutivefunctionskills |