The perception of natural vs. built environments by young children

Abstract

This paper questions the assumption that young children need exposure to natural environments for healthy psychological development. Preliminary investigation of the environmental perceptions of 4-year-olds suggests that the distinction between natural and man-made milieux is insignificant to preschoolers, and that they find both kinds of environments similarly fascinating. Both offer rich potential for collecting treasures - an important preschool criterion of environmental satisfaction. The behavioral environments of parent and child are markedly different in the same physical setting.

Parent Publication

• Children, nature, and the urban environment: proceedings of a symposium-fair

Citation

Holcomb, Briavel. 1977. The perception of natural vs. built environments by young children. In: Children, Nature, and the Urban Environment: Proceedings of a Symposium-Fair; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-30. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 32-36