Is 'natural' education healthy education? A comparative analysis of forest-based education and green care spaces in Germany and the UK

Silvia Schäffer*, Peter Kraftl

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This chapter initiates discussion about the similarities and differences between nature-based education in different national contexts, concentrating on health and wellbeing. It compares three forms of nature-based education 1 and is based on two separate studies that examined Forest Kindergartens (in Germany) and Forest Schools and Care Farms (in the UK). Given the relative dearth of cross-cultural comparative studies of these forms of education (Kraftl, 2013a), it offers insights into the intersections of health/wellbeing and education, principally according to the teachers and practitioners who operate in nature-based education spaces. This introduction provides insight into three forms of ‘natural’ education: German Forest Kindergartens (FK) and Forest Schools (FS) and Care Farms (CF) in the UK. The second part of the chapter shows links between wellbeing, health and ‘natural’ education. Finally, social-scientific research about ‘natural’ education is introduced.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationChildren's Health and Wellbeing in Urban Environments
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Chapter12
Pages174-188
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9781317167655
ISBN (Print)9781472446015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Jul 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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