"Comprehensive and up to date, this tightly edited volume belongs on the desks of researchers and students in developmental psychology, comparative psychology, animal behavior, and evolutionary psychology, and will also be of interest to anthropologists. It is a richly informative text for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level courses."--BOOK JACKET.

This book provides designers, planners, educators, and therapists with the practical information required to remove inequity in outdoor spaces, by creating inviting and inclusive solutions so that all children and their families, regardless of situation or circumstance, can experience the joys and benefits of outdoor play without stigma. It is the first of its kind, co-written by an occupational therapist and landscape architect both with proven expertise in inclusive play space design. The Nature of Inclusive Play fills an untapped niche in promoting the value of outdoor play. It focuses on what embodies play and shows how, through inclusive outdoor play design, developmental skills can be enriched. The topics covered in the book include: • a discussion of the health benefits associated with being outdoors • the history of and value of play • an overview of typical child development • the importance of sensory regulation • an inclusive design review process • design guidelines. All topics are supplemented with nine applicable case studies of inclusive outdoor play spaces with features that reflect inclusive+ principles, including examples from North America and Africa. It is a much-needed guide for landscape architects, urban planners, allied health care professionals, early childhood educators, academics, and students.

Nature-Based Play Therapy brings a theoretical basis to arguments for including nature in play therapy and provides tools for that inclusion with a prescriptive model. Throughout this book, play therapists are introduced to the histories of nature and play across cultures and cultural expectations and are then guided into an understanding of how nature and play intersect with current trends in society and psychotherapy. Readers will learn about how the therapeutic powers of play are activated and facilitated by the inclusion of nature in play therapy, and they will be taken step-by-step through a prescriptive case conceptualization model. They’ll also find case studies that link theoretical tenets, the therapeutic powers and play and nature, and intended treatment outcomes. Nature-Based Play Therapy is an excellent introduction to a vital and growing area of the field, one that gives a well-rounded summary to a theoretically based model of treatment.

* 2020 National Outdoor Book Awards Winner: Children's With this fun and practical guide to outdoor play, be inspired to unplug and spark a nature connection vital for children's healthy growth and development. *Winner of the 2020 National Outdoor Book Award in the Children's Category* Children and families are plugged into electronics and often disconnected from direct experiences in nature. This beautifully photographed, highly visual resource offers tangible approaches to nature-based learning and play for children. Parents and teachers discover the benefits of outdoor learning and simple ways to facilitate unplugged nature connection in every season. Inspired by nature preschools, forest kindergartens, and forest school models the world over, this guide also includes "Voices from the Field" with advice from experienced nature-based educators. This insightful reference balances nature play experiences with hands-on projects using natural materials and is an ideal jumping off point for immersive nature play. Examples of nature-based child experiences outlined in the book include: Wildlife observation and tracking Nature sounds, songs, and poetry Gardening and cooking with wild edibles Printmaking, charcoal drawing, dyeing, and shadow play Journaling inspired by nature With Nature Play Workshop for Families, any child, anywhere, can spark a nature connection. "Voices from the Field" includes more ideas and tips contributed by leading educators, including: Sally Anderson, Sol Forest School, Tijeras, New Mexico Yash Bhagwanji, Florida Atlantic University Lauren Brown, Asheville Farmstead School Peter Dargatz, Woodside Elementary School, Sussex, Wisconsin Monica French, Wild Haven Forest Preschool and Childcare, Baltimore, Maryland Patricia Leon, Miami Nature Playschool Sheila William Ridge, Shirley G. Moore Lab School, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Beth Savitz, Irvine Nature Center, Owings Mills, Maryland Maria Soboleski, New Mexico School for the Deaf Paige Vonder Haar, Bunnell House Early Childhood Lab School, Fairbanks, Alaska Susie Wirth, Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Foundation

Outdoor and Nature Play in Early Childhood Education is timely because of the new national and international research that reinforces the importance of outdoor play in the lives of children--for their health, wellness, dispositions, and connectedness to their childhood space and place. Outdoor play is so important to children's daily living that we have written this book to present the core concepts about outdoor play that will support teachers in collectively examining outdoor play within their environments and beyond. The text is rooted in the work of well-known theorists who have made invaluable contributions to early childhood education and who advocated for children to have access to play and learning outdoors. The text situates the discussion on the benefits of outdoor play and the breadth and depth of learning that occurs during outdoor play in a Canadian and local context.