Treesearch

This review of literature is intended to promote awareness of the needs of the 15 percent of the nation's children and youth who are afflicted with some form of handicap. It is imperative that those who design children's programs that utilize natural environments understand the special problems of handicapped children.

A brief framework for children-environment relations, focused on 8- to 12-year-olds and their natural environment, is based on the principles of maturation and Gestalt therapy. The concepts of "quality" and "place" are discussed. A comprehensive ecological framework is proposed, relating theory to the material resources used in place-making, together with a set of design criteria emphasizing the use of natural materials.

The major emphases of selected Symposium papers are underscored, and some personal thoughts are presented on how childrens' understanding of natural environments will eventually affect the quality of this Nation's environment. Special emphasis is given to research needs for insuring the establishment, protection, and management of natural environments for children in urban environments.

This study was designed to explore the environmental information currently available on those television programs most frequently watched by children 2 to 11. The aspects investigated were: range and type of environments shown, relative proportions of time spent on interior and exterior scenes, and verbal expressions and actions related to the environment. Exterior environments were classified by topography, density of habitation, and land use. Saturday morning and prime-time programs were compared on these dimensions. All of the data were analyzed for environmental themes. Implications of...

The issue of clarity is perhaps most urgent and powerful for the adolescent. One interesting route to clarity is through challenge and fascination. People have powerful reactions to certain environmental patterns, although they may not be aware of them if they have not had the opportunity to experience them. Having such an opportunity at a time when issues of identity and one's relation to the environment are pressing could have a lasting impact on the character and functioning of the individual. The natural environment, with its special capacity to hold an individual's attention, may be...

The influence of toy "realisticness" on the make-believe play of 20- and 26-month old boys and girls was studied by recording their play behaviors when they were presented with specific toys and play suggestions. Results indicate that age changes in make-believe play with the less realistic toys reflect increased competence in symbolic transformation, whereas age changes in play with the more realistic toys reflect social learning, which may differ for boys and girls.

Four dimensions of self-concept were measured at the beginning and the end of the Youth Conservation Corps's 1971 pilot program. The overall evaluation of the program had found no changes in self-concept, but factor analysis identified some significant differences. The campers' perceptions of their adequacy decreased, while their perceptions of their personal worth and social skills increased. These changes differed with the sex, age, and family income of the participants and with the type, location, sponsoring agency, and management style of the camps.

Gardening produces not only vegetables and flowers, but also social and behavioral benefits. In low-income housing sites in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, gardening programs have resulted in reduced vandalism, new neighborliness, cleaned and painted buildings and streets, and other improvements. The human response to plants, and the qualities of plants that encourage this response, are valuable in the production of humanly satisfying environments.

Environmental requirements for adolescents are rarely met in urban settings. There are few opportunities and facilities for legitimate adventure. Public amenities and public places for private moments are inadequate. Programs and facilities that would enhance the "personhood" of the urban adolescent and increase the comfort and dignity adolescents experience in public places are needed.

Many children's books give the impression that we must leave the city to be "in nature.'' This is a review of children's books about nature found within city limits. The books include a natural history of New York City; a guide to city wildflowers and other weeds; a book about city trees; a delightful inquiry into the true nature of the roach; a book of experiments and collecting methods for amateur naturalists; and a story about a family of ducks in Boston. Readers of these books may not only learn to identify many urban forms of nature, but may also see some of the ways these join in our...