annotated bibliography on child development

Early Childhood Education: Creating an Annotated Bibliography

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What is the difference between an annotation and an abstract?

An abstract is a direct summary of a text. It is a basic description of an article, book, document, etc. Many of the articles you find will have an abstract already written for you. You may not copy an abstract and hand it in as an annotation.

An annotation is an explanation of a text. It includes a description of the article or book, but also has an evaluation of the reliability and usefulness of a source. It may also include your reaction to the information you have found. An annotation is something you must write in your own words.

Don't Forget!

• Read your assignment carefully!
• Don't wait until the last minute!
• Look for your instructor's definition of "Annotated Bibliography," if there is one.
• Underline or highlight specific instructions including:
• How many sources you need.
• What kind of sources you need. Books? Articles? Websites?
• Find out if your instructor wants your opinion included in the annotation.
• Figure out what citation format your instructor wants. MLA? APA?
• If you aren't sure about a certain part of your assignment, ask or email your instructor before the assignment is due!
• Purdue OWL - Annotated Bibilographies

Examples of Good Annotations

• Annotation Example from a CS105 Class I know it's not from an ED class, but it provides a good example of an annotated citation.
• Annotation Example in APA This is an example taken from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue OWL) for a book.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (articles, books, websites, etc.) being used for research that includes the citation (bibliographic information like title, author, publisher, etc.), a short description of the information in the source, and an evaluation of the source.

The description and evaluation should be  written in your own words and contain information about the research method, the source credibility, conclusions about the source, and its usefullness to your research.

Along with the summary of the information, an annotated bibliography describes how the source directly relates to your research and why the source is trustworthy.

A typical annotated bibliography is around 150 words.

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography may be given as an assignment to help you gain a basic knowledge of a topic you are researching. It can also help you figure out if there is enough relevant information on your topic. It is a good first step in the research process because it lays out your sources and how you are planning to use them. Creating annotations helps you to read your sources more critically and carefully and decide if they are useful. By reading several sources on a topic and evaluating them, you can understand the facts, opinions, and issues surround a topic and form your own point-of-view.

If you are given an annotated bibliography as an assignment, think about the long term. Figure out if you will have a research paper due later on that will incorporate the sources you cited in your bibliography. If so, make sure you are reviewing your sources with your future paper in mind. If you do a good job on your annotations, you will know what sources to focus your paper on, and it will save you time later.

Step by Step Instructions

Step One: Read your assignment!

Make sure you have a clear idea of how many sources you need, how many annotations you need, and what types of sources you are looking for. 

Step Two: Make sure you have a clear and concise topic to research.

Start with a topic that interests you and falls within the requirements of your assignment. Leave room for flexibility. You may not be able to find enough sources for the topic you want, so be willing to change your topic slightly, if necessary. Look up some synonyms (words that have the same meanings) for your topic.

Step Three: Find books, articles, or websites.

Do the research! Compile a list of sources that pertain to your topic.

Make sure you are looking for full text when searching for journal articles in a database. 

Step Four: Read your sources critically and carefully!

Examine and review the items to make sure you can find the information you need. Take notes so you can use them in your summary. Choose the number of sources your assignment requires. 

    Don't just read the abstract . (For more information on abstracts, see the second box on the left side of this page).

Step Five: Create your annotated bibliography. This can be done right in Noodletools (for more information on Noodletools see the box on the top left side of this page).

• Cite the source (book, article, etc.) using the style your instructor requested (MLA, APA, etc.).
• Write a brief summary or description of your article in your own words , in paragraph form.
• Evaluate your source . Make sure to check for guidelines given to you by your instructor. If there are none, try the CRAAP method:
• Currency:  Is this source current? When was it written? Check your assignment for guidelines on dates.
• Relevance:  Write one or more brief sentences that draw conclusions about how this source relates directly to your research. Why did you choose this source for your particular topic. How does it make your paper more accurate, credible, and informative?
• Authority and Accuracy: Write one or more sentences that talk about the credibility of the source. This can include information about the background of the author and/or information about the research methods used, and the intended audience of the research.  Who wrote the article or book? Why did they write this? Who is the content written for? Is the information supported by evidence?  Does the information provided conflict with what you already know about the topic?
• Purpose: Write one or more sentences that draw conclusions about the information in this souce. What did you learn from it? Compare this source to other sources. Why is this source important compared to other sources? Why does this information exist?

Remember you are aiming for around 150 words. So be as concise as possible.

For more information on the CRAAP Method, see the "More Information" box on the bottom left of this page.

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What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a way of evaluating sources.

• They show that you have read a source and that you understand the content.
• They also show the reader how the sources are useful to the research.

A basic annotation contains:

• a citation in the correct format (ex. MLA or APA).
• a comment about the author and their authority on the topic. 
• an explanation of the main concepts of the source and why it is relevant to your research.

View the links below to learn more about how to create an annotated bibliography and see examples.

• Annotated Bibliographies | The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue Provides definitions about, reasons for, and formats of annotated bibliographies. Written by Dana Bisignani and Allen Brizee from The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue, Purdue University.
• Annotated Bibliography Example | The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue A discussion about an example of an annotated bibliography, including thoughts to keep in mind while writing an annotation. Written by Dana Bisignani and Allen Brizee from The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue, Purdue University.
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CDFS 3113: Infant and Toddler Development

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Annotated Bibliography

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As you search the literature it is vital that you record what you find. Researchers commonly create what is known as an annotated bibliography that provides the documents complete reference and a short summary and evaluation of the article. The annotated bibliography can be used later to develop a literature review. 

Annotated bibliographies and literature reviews differ because an annotated bibliography is a list of articles and summaries whereas a literature review is a prose narrative that discusses research on a particular topic. 

The main purpose of a narrative literature review is to provide an overview of the topic and to highlight significant areas of research. Literature reviews and annotated bibliographies can help to refine your research questions.

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Child Care and Early Education Research Connections

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An annotated bibliography on children's development of social inclusion and respect for diversity

Description: An annotated bibliography of select research and policy-related resources published since 2005 on the social inclusion of individuals of diverse identities in both education and peer groups and the development of respect for diversity in children from birth through 10 years of age Resource Type: Bibliographies Author(s): Romero Mariajose Publisher(s): Columbia University. National Center for Children in Poverty Funder(s): Bernard van Leer Foundation

Child Development & Family Studies - 215: Diversity in Early Childhood: Annotated Bibliography

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• Annotated Bibliography

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliiographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.).

An annotation  is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an  annotated bibliography  includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

• Summarize : Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is. For more help, see the Purdue OWL handout on  paraphrasing  sources.
• Assess : After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source? For more help, see the Purdue OWL handouts on  evaluating resources .
• Reflect : Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.

Source: Purdue Online Writing Lab 

Annotated Bibliography Examples

• Annotated Bibliography Examples Follow this link to view sample MLA annotations from Purdue Online Writing Lab

Annotated Bibliography Breakdown

• Annotated Bibliography Breakdown A descriptive breakdown of the individual elements of an annotated bibliography from Purdue Online Writing Lab

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Bibliography: Nature Engagement during the Early Childhood Years

An Annotated Bibliography of Recent Academic Literature from 2015 to 2021

This bibliography provides a summary of the current academic literature relating to the benefits of nature engagement and young children’s health, wellbeing, and development. Conditions and environments matter during the first few years of life. What children experience in their early years can strengthen or disrupt their overall health and well-being both in the present and the future. There are many different areas of a child’s life that can enhance or hinder development. This bibliography focuses on just one such factor – nature engagement. It focuses on children, birth through age five, who have not started education at the primary or elementary school level. Studies included in this bibliography focus primarily on active engagement with nature versus passive exposure. Thus, studies focusing primarily on the impact of neighborhood greenness on childhood development are not included. Generally, studies from the environmental health field are also not included. While environmental health issues – such as issues relating to children’s exposure to pesticides and lead – need to be understood and given weight in making decisions and developing policy, related research is beyond the scope of this bibliography.

The studies included aren’t meant to be exhaustive. Users are urged to keep findings in context and avoid assuming that nature-based activities effective in promoting desired child development outcomes in one situation or program will work the same in other situations with significantly different characteristics. Yet, program developers and implementers, city officials, and policy makers may find this document helpful in guiding their work. Other audiences who may find this summary of research useful include early childhood educators and other professionals working with young children, researchers exploring issues relating to nature and young children, and other adults interested in nature’s role in promoting young children’s holistic development.

The studies presented in this bibliography reflect varying levels of evidentiary support and indicate that further research is still needed, especially rigorous longitudinal and experimental studies. The overall base of support, however, is strong enough to proceed with the development of nature-based initiatives designed to promote young children’s holistic development. Questions relating to the types of nature engagement that are most effective for young children and a better understanding about why they work and for whom are issues still to be determined conclusively.

PART ONE: CHILD DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS

The benefits of nature engagement for young children relate to all areas of growth and development, including physical, mental, social-emotional and cognitive development. Nature engagement during the early years also promotes language and literacy, school readiness, and positive ecological identity. These benefits apply to all children, including children with adverse childhood experiences and children with differing abilities. There are some indications that nature engagement may be especially beneficial for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Physical Health

Physical health refers to the well-being of the body. The childhood link between outdoor activity and physical health is a frequent focus of research, especially in relation to healthier weight and physical development.  Research findings typically demonstrate that more time outdoors in natural environments tends to promote higher levels of physical activity, however, there are contradictory findings. Findings may depend on the degree of vigor of physical activity assessed. Researchers have also begun to document nature’s role in supporting a healthier immune system. Overall, research on the physical health benefits of nature engagement is “promising.” 

When children are outdoors in early childhood education settings, they engage in higher levels of physical activity compared to when they are indoors.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the physical activity levels and sedentary time of young children during outdoor play at center-based childcare programs. Not all outdoor play was in natural environments. Twenty-six articles were included in the review; eleven in the meta-analysis. The sample size ranged from 5 to 388 children, with an average of 109. Overall results showed that young children are more active outdoors compared to indoors; yet while outdoors they engaged in moderate-to vigorous–intensity physical activity (MVPA) only 14% of the time. Over half (53%) of children’s outdoor playtime was sedentary. One potentially effective way to address this concern is to provide more access to natural environments and natural materials.

Truelove, S., Bruijns, B. A., Vanderloo, L. W., O’Brien, K. T., Johnson, A. M., Tucker, P. (2018). Physical activity and sedentary time during childcare outdoor play sessions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine, 108, 74-85.

Preschool children engaged in a greater variety and intensity of physical activity on a naturalized playspace than on a traditional playground.

Researchers, using a behavior mapping technique to record children’s observed movements in two different playspaces at a preschool in Australia, found that manipulative play in the naturalized playspace involved significantly more frequent actualization of affordances provided by natural materials than in the traditional playspace. Additionally, children’s movements in the naturalized playspace were more varied and involved more balance and agility challenges than on the traditional playspace. Both playspaces included natural features, such as trees and bushes, and both included natural loose materials for manipulation. This mixed-methods study adds support to the existing evidence on the physical health benefits of naturalized playspaces.

Wishart et al. 2019. Traditional vs naturalized design: A comparison of affordances and physical activity in two preschool playscapes. Landscape Research, 44(8), 1031-1049.

Adding biodiverse elements to a play yard can enhance preschoolers’ immune systems.

Researchers enriched the environmental biodiversity of four urban daycare centers in Finland by covering their yards with forest floor and sod. These centers served as “intervention” sites for this quasi-experimental study. Six other centers served as control sites: three with standard yards; three using a nearby forest for daily visits. Assessments on 75 participating children completed before and after a 28-day intervention period found that the skin and intestinal microbiota of children with the “intervention” yard were similar to the microbiota of children visiting the forest every day. Readings of blood immune markers of children in the intervention daycare suggested that the intervention may have stimulated immunoregulatory pathways and thus enhanced the children’s immune systems.

Roslund et al. 2020. Biodiversity intervention enhances immune regulation and health-associated commensal microbiota among daycare children. Science Advances, 6(42).

Also see review by Dankiw et al. 2020  under “Cognitive Development and Functioning”

Mental Health

Positive engagement with nature can promote young children’s mental health and possibly reduce early childhood mental health inequities. Positive mental health outcomes associated with young children’s engagement with nature include increases in self-confidence and resilience and decreases in depressive affect. Quality of greenspace for children may be a stronger predictor of positive mental health outcomes than quantity. Overall, the research about the mental health benefits of nature engagement is “promising.”

Nature engagement may provide therapeutic and protective benefits for children with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). 

This review of the literature focused on applications of nature as a protective or therapeutic intervention for children who had experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and/or trauma. While some of the studies included children in the early childhood age range, numerous did not. Findings indicate that (1) children with adversity tend to experience poor physiological and often psychopathological outcomes; (2) children and adults at-risk or diagnosed with physical, emotional, and/or cognitive difficulties can benefit from therapeutic nature-based interventions; and (3) there appear to be no specific interventions for children with ACEs. These findings indicate that nature engagement may serve as a protective factor before the harmful impacts of ACEs on development occur, but that more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis

Touloumakos, A. K., Barrable, A., (2020). Adverse childhood experiences: The protective and therapeutic potential of nature. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1-9.

An intervention program focusing on increasing connectedness to nature significantly reduced overall perceived stress among preschool children, especially as expressed through anger frequency.

This experimental study compared gut microbiota, fecal serotonin, and perceived stress in two groups of preschool children: one group participating in a ten-week nature-focused intervention program; the other group not participating in the program. Pre- post-assessment results showed that the intervention group scored lower in overall perceived stress levels and made significant gains in prosocial behavior post-intervention. Behavior changes were particularly noted in the reduced frequency of anger. After the program, children in the intervention group also showed changes in their gut microbiota; children in the control group did not. These findings indicate that the intervention program modulated the microbiome in the intervention group. This research suggests that exposure to bacteria in natural environments could be beneficial to behavioral outcomes for young children. 

Sobko, T., Liang, S., Cheng, W. H. G., Tun, H. M., (2020). Impact of outdoor nature‐related activities on gut microbiota, fecal serotonin, and perceived stress in preschool children: The Play&Grow randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 10.

Young children choose nature to relax.

Interviews with 46 children (age 3-5) from six childcare programs in Brisbane, Australia showed that place and play are important to relaxation and that these factors are interconnected. The children identified common places for experiencing relaxation, particularly in nature and at home. Children described their relaxation experiences as being sensory-rich and centered on feelings of coziness and comfort. This research highlights the importance of affording children agency in choosing experiences that are relaxing to them while in childcare. Childcare professionals are encouraged to engage children in discussions about their relaxation preferences and to allow children to choose the environmental and social settings that support their relaxation needs.

Cooke, E., Thorpe, K., Clarke, A., Houen, S., Oakes, C., Staton, S., (2020). “Lie in the grass, the soft grass”: Relaxation accounts of young children attending childcare. Children and Youth Services Review, 109

Social-Emotional Functioning

Nature engagement can promote multiple aspects of young children’s social-emotional learning (SEL), including social interaction skills, independence, impulse control, management of one’s emotions and problem-solving skills. Nature engagement can be enhanced by increasing outdoor playtime at school and encouraging a variety of nature-based activities. This category overlaps to some degree with the category of “enhanced play” below as this research demonstrates that children engage in more cooperative, collaborative, imaginative play together in nature settings. Overall, the research in the area of social-emotional functioning is relatively “established.”.

Contact with nature during childcare might promote young children’s cognitive functioning, affective state, and social interaction .

Thirty-nine children (age 18 months to 36 months) from four different childcare centers in Italy participated in this experimental study investigating the impact of contact with nature on young children’s behavior. The study involved a comparison of behavior on “green days” (GDs) and “non-green days” (NGDs). A behavior checklist focusing on cognitive functioning, affective state, and social interaction was used for assessing individual children’s behaviors. Performance on GDs showed (a) higher levels of orientation toward the activity in task performance, (b) more frequent positive individual behaviors, and (c) more frequent positive relational behaviors than on NGDs. This research adds support to the idea that contact with nature can serve as a buffer to stressors experienced by young children at childcare.

Carrus, G., Passiatore, Y., Pirchio, S., Scopelliti, M., (2015). Contact with nature in educational settings might help cognitive functioning and promote positive social behaviour. Psyecology, 6(2), 191-212.

The blending of forest school with formal education can promote skills not typically addressed in a classroom-only setting.

Fifteen children (age 4-5) from a Reception Year class and 18 children (age 8-9) from a Year 4 class in the UK participated in interviews after completing a Forest School (FS) experience. This experience involved six weekly, half-day sessions conducted in a local woodland a short drive away from the school. Children from both groups said they felt more playful at FS and recognized playing as an opportunity to learn skills typically not addressed in the classroom, such as social interaction skills, problem solving, independence, negotiation, and creativity.

Coates, J.K., Pimlott-Wilson, H., (2019). Learning while playing: Children’s Forest School experiences in the UK. British Educational Research Journal, 45(1), 21-40.

Teacher encouragement and nature-based activities help young children develop prosocial behaviors.

Researchers analyzed 74 running record observations of young children’s behaviors and social interactions over a two-year period as they participated in a nature-preschool program. Seven pro-social themes emerged from the data: (1) respecting nature; (2) respecting people; (3) sharing, helping, and taking turns; (4) building friendships and expressing unity; (5) cooperating and working together as a team; (6) demonstrating empathy; and (7) expressing gratitude. There were frequent demonstrations of these behaviors by the children, including children with disabilities. The data also revealed numerous ways in which the teachers helped children develop pro-social behaviors, such as providing opportunities for sharing and helping, encouraging children to take the perspective of other people and creatures, and encouraging reflections on behavior.

Acar, I. H., Torquati, J. C., (2015). The power of nature: Developing prosocial behavior toward nature and peers through nature-based activities. Young Children, 70(5), 62-71.

Enhanced Play

Play with natural materials promotes diverse and enhanced levels of play, which contribute to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Additionally, the affordances of natural environments tend to encourage risky play which can promote increased confidence and competence in young children. The existing research supporting nature’s promotion of certain types of play is “established” in some areas – such as for socio-dramatic play, but still new and “emerging” in other areas – such as for risky play.

Preschoolers’ sociodramatic play is more complex in a naturalized versus traditional outdoor playspace.

This quasi-experimental study compared preschoolers’ sociodramatic play episodes in a traditional and a naturalized outdoor playspace to determine whether the sociodramatic play processes differed in the two spaces. Over 50 children — all attending the same Australian preschool with access to both a traditional and a naturalized outdoor playspace – participated in this study. Observations, totaling 276 minutes in each yard, were conducted over a six-week period. Findings indicated that children spent more time in sociodramatic play in the naturalized yard than in the traditional playspace. Additionally, the play episodes in the naturalized yard persisted longer, used more of the wider available space, and involved more fantasy role play than in the traditional playspace. 

Morrissey, A-M., Scott, C., Rahimi, M., (2017). A comparison of sociodramatic play processes of preschoolers in a naturalized and a traditional outdoor space. International Journal of Play, 6(2), 177-197.

Including natural elements rich in biodiversity is a safe and health-promoting way to provide rich opportunities for young children’s creative play and learning.

Six childcare centers and 13 groups of children (age 3-5) in Finland participated in a mixed-methods investigation focusing on how the greening of daycare yards with biodiverse materials affords well-being, play and environmental relationships. The greening of the daycare yards consisted of adding a forest floor with high biodiversity, sod, peat blocks, and planters for growing vegetables and flowers. Data collected from teachers and parents approximately one month after the greening process showed that children were excited about the green yards and spent a lot of time in contact with the nature-related materials added to the yard. The natural elements added to the yard (forest floor vegetation, sticks, pinecones, etc.) inspired children to be physically active, explore, and manipulate loose parts in imaginative ways.

Puhakka, R., Rantala, O., Roslund, M.I., Rajaniemi, J., Laitinen, O.H., Sinkkonen, A., ADELE Research Group, (2019). Greening of daycare yards with biodiverse materials affords well-being, play and environmental relationships. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16)

More naturalized playspaces, while promoting different aspects of child development and offering more affordances for risky play, may not always increase risky play behaviors. 

Two childcare centers in Canada participated in this study which involved assessments of children and their outdoor playspace before and after changes were made to each center’s outdoor environment. Behavioral observations and teacher perspectives indicate that, after the renovations, there were reductions in stress, boredom, injury, anti-social behavior, and level of physical activity. There were increases in problem-solving, socialization, creativity, focus, and self-regulation. While the more naturalized environments offered more affordances for risky play, there were no significant differences in risky play behaviors, due perhaps to teachers’ attitudes and practices relating to play.

Brussoni, M., Ishikawa, T., Brunelle, S., Herrington, S., (2017). Landscapes for play: Effects of an intervention to promote nature-based risky play in early childhood centres. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 54, 139-150.

Specific features of outdoor spaces support greater frequency and complexity of preschoolers’ sociodramatic play

This study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods to compare the frequency and complexity of the sociodramatic play of two groups of preschool children in two different outdoor spaces – one with a conventional playground and a naturalized area; the other with some natural surfaces and vegetation, but with more manufactured features. Findings showed that sociodramatic play was substantially more frequent and more complex in the outdoor space that included the naturalized area. There was also greater movement between and within areas in this outdoor setting. Features supporting more frequent and complex sociodramatic play include a balanced combination of manufactured resources and significant vegetation and natural loose parts; opportunities for seclusion and lack of overcrowding; linking pathways; and open-ended design.

Robertson, N., Morrissey, A., Moore, D., (2019). From boats to bushes: environmental elements supportive of children’s sociodramatic play outdoors. Children’s Geographies

Children’s involvement in play increases when they can easily access a variety of natural and other types of open-ended materials.

Researchers used the Leuven Involvement Scale in a study investigating the association between children’s involvement in free play and the use of play materials in outdoor environments at preschools. The research also involved coding the type of materials used for play and calculating the percentage of time the material was used during each observed play episode. Generally, children’s play with loose parts and movable materials – with the exception of wheeled toys – tended to be associated with higher play involvement scores. Using two or more different types of play materials at once also increased the children’s involvement in free play.

Storli, R., Sandseter, E.B.H., Sando, O.J., (2020). Children’s involvement in free play and the use of play materials in the outdoor early childhood education and care environment. Children, Youth and Environments, 30(1), 66-82.

A mix of natural environments and traditional play equipment promotes risky play in 1- to 3-year-old children.

This study used both quantitative and qualitative data to examine provision for 1- to 3-year-olds’ risky play in three contrasting early childhood programs in Norway. The data were collected during three full days of observations in each of the three centers, using pre-determined criteria for objective risk (such as height, speed, and unstable surfaces) and subjective risk (children’s expressions of fear, hesitancy or exhilaration). While the data showed that the total number of risky play instances in each center was roughly equivalent, children in centers with a mix of natural environments and traditional play equipment showed more varied risky play. 

Kleppe, R., (2018). Affordances of 1- to 3-year-olds’ risky play in Early Childhood Education and Care. Journal of Early Childhood Research.

Cognitive Development and Functioning

Nature engagement promotes various dimensions of young children’s cognitive development, including attention, imagination, curiosity, problem solving, and creativity. Unstructured play and exploration in natural environments provide rich opportunities for young children to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to healthy cognitive functioning.  The existing research supporting nature’s promotion of cognitive development is “established” in some areas – such as for imagination, creative and and imaginary play – and “promising” in other areas – such as for attention and executive function development in young children.   

Children engaged in nature play showed consistent positive impacts in the cognitive functioning areas of imagination, creativity, and dramatic play.

This review – using only quantitative primary research studies – aimed to identify the empirical evidence of nature play on child health and development. The age range of the included studies was from 2-9 years. Most of the studies, however, focused on children aged 2-5.  Positive child development outcome areas reported in this review include physical activity, health-related fitness, motor skill, cognitive learning, and social and emotional development. The evidence for positive outcomes was strongest in the areas of physical activity and cognitive development. Results relating to cognitive development indicate that nature play had consistent positive impacts in the related domains of imagination, creativity and dramatic play. 

Dankiw et al. 2020. The impacts of unstructured nature play on health in early childhood development: A systematic review. PloS ONE, 15(2).

Higher frequency of green schoolyard use and more time outdoors are linked to self-regulation gains in kindergarten students

Researchers investigated changes in kindergarten children’s self-regulation before and after using a green schoolyard over a period of one semester. Two groups of children were involved: a low-frequency group using the greenspace just once a week; a high-frequency group using the greenspace every day. Overall results showed that students who spent more time in greenspaces weekly tended to have higher self-regulation scores at the end of the semester. This relationship was more consistent for girls than for boys. This research found that more time spent outdoors was related to higher self-regulation – “the higher the frequency of visits, and the more minutes weekly, the greater the gains”. These findings suggest that time in greenspaces supports children’s self-regulation development.

Faber Taylor, A., Butts-Wilmsmeyer, C., (2020). Self-regulation gains in kindergarten related to frequency of green schoolyard use. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 70

Outdoor time at preschool promotes young children’s attention skills and may protect against inattention-hyperactivity symptoms.

A total of 562 children from 28 childcare centers in Norway were followed longitudinally over a period of four years, with assessments conducted each year. The participating centers varied widely in how much time the children spent outdoors. Findings showed that children with high and low levels of outdoor hours during childcare did not differ on an attention assessment at age 3. However, from age 4 until after school entry (around age 7), children with high levels of outdoor time during childcare showed consistently higher levels of attention skills than the children with low levels of outdoor time. Additionally, children with high levels of outdoor time during childcare showed fewer inattention-hyperactivity symptoms at ages 4, 5, 6 and 7. 

Ulset, V., Vitaro, F., Brendgen, M., Bekkhus, M., Borge, A.I.H., Time spent outdoors during preschool: Links with children’s cognitive and behavioral development, Journal of Environmental Psychology (2017)

Nature engagement can promote the exercise of executive function in preschoolers.

This study investigated the influence of nature playscape affordances on executive function in preschoolers. Analysis of videotaped vignettes involving 65 low-income children (age 3-5) provided evidence of well-designed nature playscapes promoting different aspects of executive function skills in preschool children, including inhibitory control, flexibility, and working memory.

Carr, V., Brown, R.D., Schlembach, S., Kochanowski, L., (2017). Nature by design: Playscape affordances support the use of executive function in preschoolers. Children, Youth and Environments, 27(2), 25-46.

Nature preschools can be effective in promoting executive function skills, a critical component of school readiness.

This quasi-experimental study conducted in the US found that children attending both nature preschools and high-quality non-nature preschools grew in executive function skills. Though there was no difference between these groups, students’ executive functioning development exceeded what would be expected in typically developing children. This research adds support to the growing literature on the benefits of nature preschools, including supporting school readiness to at least the same extent as traditional preschools. 

Zamzow, J., Ernst, J., (2020). Supporting school readiness naturally: Exploring executive function growth in nature preschools. The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7(2), 6-16.

Creative thinking scores for students at nature preschools increased over a one-schoolyear period; the same was not found in students at a non-nature preschool.

For this quasi-experimental study, researchers used the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement  (TCAM) instrument to collect data on creative thinking levels in two groups of preschool students: some attending a nature preschool; some attending a non-nature preschool. The TCAM measures three components of creative thinking: 1) fluency, or number of ideas generated; 2) originality, or uniqueness of ideas; and 3) imagination, or capacity to adopt a new role. The TCAM assessment was completed on all the participating children in the beginning and end of the schoolyear. Overall, the creative thinking scores of the nature preschoolers increased over the school year, whereas the scores of non-nature preschool participants did not significantly change.

Woiciehowski, M. & Ernst. J. (2018). Creative by Nature: Investigating the impact of nature preschools on young children’s creative thinking. The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(1), 3 – 2

Also see Zamani 2017 in “Designing With and For Young Children” section.

Language and Literacy

Language and literacy development are major domains of early childhood development and critical components of school readiness. The research on nature-based activities in and outside of the preschool classroom in terms of promoting improved oral and written expression is “emerging.”

Garden activities promote multiple skills in language and literacy.

Twelve early childhood teachers participated in photo-elicitation interviews focusing on the value of and processes for supporting learning among young children in the garden at an early childhood center in the US serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Findings indicated that garden-based activities helped children develop language and literacy skills, along with other school readiness areas.

Murakami, C.D., Su-Russell, C., Manfra, L., (2018). Analyzing teacher narratives in early childhood garden-based education. Journal of Environmental Education, 49(1), 18-29.

Nature-based play  in an early childhood classroom promoted young children’s language development. 

This qualitative study was conducted with four- and five-year-old children in a school in Brazil.  The teacher used a sequence of nature-related play-based activities to help children understand the scientific concept of a food web. This approach, as reported by the teacher, seemed to promote children’s oral and written expression, vocabulary expansion, and ecological literacy.

de Brito Miranda, A.C., Jófili, Z., dos Anjos Carneiro-Leão, A.M., (2017). Ecological literacy – Preparing children for the twenty-first century. Early Child Development and Care, 187(2), 192-205.

School Readiness

School readiness refers to the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for children’s success in school as expressed across multiple domains. These domains include language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, approaches to learning (emotional, behavioral, and cognitive self-regulation), physical well-being and motor development, and social and emotional development. Nature-based learning – that is, learning through exposure to nature and nature-based activities – may be an effective way to build these skills and other capacities for success in school. Although research on the benefit of nature for development of these various domains might be promising or well-established, research on the complete pathway – from nature engagement to development of domains of function to school readiness – is just “emerging.”

Children in nature-based and traditional preschools are equally prepared for kindergarten.

A quasi-experimental and longitudinal research design was used to determine if children in a traditional preschool setting and a nature-based preschool setting in the US were equally prepared academically and social-emotionally for kindergarten. Both programs were located in the same school, thus drawing from families with similar backgrounds. Assessments completed before, during, and after the academic year showed that the two groups of children ended the year with approximately equal levels of kindergarten readiness in the areas of social-emotional functioning, academic skills, and pretend play. 

Cordiano, T.S., Lee, A., Wilt, J., Elszasz, A., Damour, L.K., Russ, S.W., (2019). Nature-based education and kindergarten readiness: Nature-based and traditional preschoolers are equally prepared for kindergarten. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(3), 18-36.

Nature preschools can be effective in promoting school readiness through furthering peer play behaviors and learning behaviors.

Four nature preschools and two non-nature preschools in northern Minnesota participated in a quasi-experimental study investigating the effectiveness of nature preschools on two components of school readiness: peer play interactions and learning behaviors. Assessments of participating children’s peer play interactions and learning behaviors were conducted in October 2018 as pre-test measures and in May 2019 as post-test measures. Children attending the nature preschools showed significant growth from pre- to post-test in the play interaction dimension of peer play and a significant reduction of play disruption and play disconnection behaviors. They also showed significant growth in learning behaviors. The non-nature preschoolers showed significant growth in only one of the assessed areas – play disconnection in the home/neighborhood, reflecting withdrawn behavior and nonparticipation in peer play.

Burgess, E., Ernst, J., (2020). Beyond traditional school readiness: How nature preschools help prepare children for academic success. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7(2), 17-33.

Ecological Identity and Connectedness to Nature

Both “ecological identity” and “connectedness to nature” refer to how people view themselves in relation to the rest of the natural world. Cognition and emotion play a role in how one perceives this relationship. Manifestations of the relationship are evident in one’s values, actions, interests, and personality. Empathy and care for other living things, a sense of responsibility toward nature, enjoyment of and curiosity about the natural world, a sense of kinship and oneness with the rest of nature, and pro-environmental behaviors are indicators of a positive ecological identity and strong connectedness to nature. Evidence for the effectiveness of nature-focused initiatives in formal and non-formal education in developing empathic and caring relationships with nature is “emerging” at this young age, though “promising” given the evidence at older ages and the long history of research that shows children gravitating to nature spaces for play and showing enjoyment and curiosity there . These initiatives are consistent with UNESCO’s statement about the importance of the early childhood years in education for sustainability (EfS). 

Children attending a nature preschool had higher connectedness to nature than preschoolers attending a traditional preschool.

Data for this quasi-experimental study was based on 216 children (age 1-8) attending either a nature nursery or a traditional nursery in the UK. Children in the nature nursery spend most of their time outdoors in a natural setting. Results of a parent-completed survey indicated that children who attended nature nurseries scored higher on a nature connectedness index than children attending traditional nurseries. Findings also showed that both parental nature connection and total time spent in attendance at a nature nursery were predictors of preschool children’s connection to nature.

Barrable & Booth 2020. Nature connection in early childhood: A quantitative cross-sectional study. Sustainability, 12.

Preschool children are beginning to develop their own ideas about nature and their relationship with the natural world, regardless of their environment.

Thirty-six preschool children (27 attending preschool in an urban environment; 9 in a rural setting) participated in one-on-one structured interviews focusing on their attitudes toward and experiences being in nature. Two data-collection instruments were used during the interview: one measuring biophilia; the other measuring attitudes towards nature. Quantitative data analysis showed no significant differences in biophilia between the two groups of children. Additional qualitative analysis identified three common themes: 1) young children define nature by identifying specific elements; 2) young children are aware that their actions have consequences for the condition of the natural environment; and 3) children understand that the expectations guiding behavior in the natural environment apply to everyone.

Yanez, R.E., Fees, B.S., Torquati, J., (2017). Preschool children’s biophilia and attitudes toward nature: The effect of personal experiences. The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 5(1), 57-67.

Place-based learning can help young children develop a sustainability perspective and positive eco- identity.

This longitudinal study was conducted over a period of a year, involved multiple early childhood settings in different geographical environments, and used ethnographic methods of observations, field notes, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect information about the context of place-based learning in early childhood. Most of the programs participating in this study make frequent and regular visits to a natural area over a long period of time. Children in the majority of the settings showed a growing awareness and love for the place they visited. They also showed a sense of caring for themselves and others, and demonstrated the ability to reflect on environmental issues and offer solutions. These outcomes reflect a sustainability perspective and a positive ecological identity.

Boyd, D., (2019). Utilising place-based learning through local contexts to develop agents of change in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability. Education 3-13, 47(8), 983-997.

Young children often express connection to nature differently than adults and older children.

This study examined the meaning, assessment, and development of connection to nature (C2N) in two- to five-year-old children. Information gleaned from a Connection to Nature Workshop, a literature search focusing on C2N assessment tools, and input from an Expert Advisory Panel on Early Childhood Nature Connection indicate that both quantity and quality of time in nature play important roles in promoting young children’s C2N. Findings also highlight unique ways in which preschool children experience and express C2N and reinforce the understanding that young children can make important contributions to a sustainable future.

Beery, T., Chawla, L., Leven, P., (2020). Being and becoming in nature: Defining and measuring connection to nature in young children. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7(3), 3-22.

Family Functioning

Healthy family functioning is generally associated with positive child outcomes. There are multiple dimensions to healthy family functioning, including values and norms, positive communication, family members’ interest in and support for each other, and positive ways of expressing emotions. Factors working against healthy family functioning include poverty, substance abuse, and conflict between family members. Family time in nature can promote emotional bonding and positive interactions. At times, family engagement with nature can also decrease or buffer the stress associated with negative conditions surrounding the family. The strength of the evidence in this domain is “promising.”

Connecting families with nature decreases stress in low-income families.

One of the goals of this experimental study was to determine if park prescriptions will improve stress and other behavioral and health outcomes for parents at a low-income clinic in Oakland, California. All participating parents were counseled on the health benefits of time in nature and were given a map of local parks, a journal for tracking their park visits, and a pedometer. Assessments completed three times during the course of the study showed increased visits to parks and a significant decrease in stress. More park visits per week were associated with significant and incremental decreases in stress. These results applied to parents in two randomly-assigned groups – one with planned group outings; one without planned outings.

Razani et al. 2018. Effect of park prescriptions with and without group visits to parks on stress reduction in low-income parents: SHINE randomized trial. PLOS ONE.

Natural environments foster improved parent-child communication.

Eighteen parent-child pairs participated in an experimental study focusing on their verbal communication in two different environments – an outdoor natural environment and a nature-focused indoor environment. The two environments had similar themes, and both offered similar affordances for hands-on activities. Video cameras worn by the children (age 3- 4) and the parents captured their verbal communication during 15-minute explorations in the two environments. An analysis of the recordings showed that the children were significantly more talkative in the natural environment than in the indoor environment and that parent-child connected communication episodes were significantly longer in the natural environment. 

Cameron-Faulkner, T., Melville, J., Gattis, M., (2018). Responding to nature: Natural environments improve parent-child communication. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 59, 9-15.

Rural, low-income mothers consider access to free nature-based recreational opportunities a major contributor to healthy family functioning.

Eighty-five rural low-income mothers participated in interviews focusing on family leisure activities. Participating mothers had one to five children 12 years old or younger. The mothers were not asked directly about their use of family-based nature activities, yet nearly every mother indicated that spending time in nature with their family is something they did to promote physical, psychological, and social health benefits of each family member, as well as the health of the family unit. Walking and playing in parks were two of the most frequently cited examples of their leisure activities.

Izenstark et al. 2016. Rural, low-income mothers’ use of family-based nature activities to promote family health. Journal of Leisure Research, 48(12), 134-155 .

Family camping can foster stronger family bonds and connection with nature.

This study was conducted in the Czech Republic with nine families engaged in a two-week camping experience. Responses to a family-completed questionnaire and the perspectives of two researchers participating in the camping experience indicate that family camping can promote positive connections to family, nature, and community.

Jirasek, I., Roberson, D.N., Jiraskova, M., (2017). The impact of families camping together: Opportunities for personal and social development. Leisure Sciences, 39(1).

Benefits for Special Populations

Much of the literature on nature and children with special needs focuses on older children, but the few published studies involving preschool children suggest that nature-based interventions and nature-rich environments may provide special benefits for young children with differing abilities. The literature also suggests that nature exposure and engagement for children from disadvantaged backgrounds may help reduce health and educational achievement disparities. This suggests that, although nature is beneficial for all children, it may be especially beneficial for those who are at risk for poorer health, mental health, social or educational outcomes as a result of factors associated with limited financial resources. Overall, the research in this domain is “promising.”

More time outdoors during childcare can help preschoolers with ADHD cope with their symptoms.

This mini-review of the literature focused on nature contact and attention in preschool and school-age children. One study focusing specifically on preschoolers found that play in green settings is associated with less severe attention deficits in children with ADHD and that the greener the play area, the stronger the association. The researchers concluded from their review of the evidence that spending time outdoors during preschool may protect young children against developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the future.

Di Carmine F., Berto, R. (2020). Contact with nature can help ADHD children to cope with their symptoms. The state of the evidence and future directions for research. Visions for Sustainability, 14, 1-11.

Children with autism who participated in an outdoor intervention program made impressive gains in verbal and nonverbal communication, imitation, and social reciprocal behavior.

This experimental study included two groups of children(age 3-7) enrolled in seven different special education programs with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Israel. One group (intervention group; N=30) was randomly chosen to participate in an outdoor adventure program. The other group (control group; N=21) did not participate in the outdoor program. Pre-test measures showed no difference between the two groups in cognitive and adaptive behavior functioning. Post-test results, however, showed a reduction in severity of autism symptoms for the intervention group, while the control group showed the opposite. Differences were noted in the areas of social cognition, social motivation, social communication, and autistic mannerisms, with the largest increase in social communication. 

Zachor, Ditza A., et al. 2017. “The Effectiveness of an Outdoor Adventure Programme for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Controlled Study.”  Medicine and Child Neurology 59(5): 550–556.

Young children with disabilities and delays tend to have the same kinds of informal learning opportunities as their typically developing peers and, when outdoors, participate in different types of nature-related activities with a variety of learning opportunities.

Research comparing everyday learning opportunities of children (birth to age 6) with and without special needs found that many of the family and community activities for both groups of children involved different aspects of the natural environment. They also participated in about the same number of everyday family and community activities. Factors influencing child participation and learning in the activities focused primarily on three key characteristics: child interests, the interestingness of the activities, and the role parents and other caregivers played in promoting child participation in the activities.

Dunst, C., (2020). Everyday learning opportunities of young children with and without developmental disabilities or delays. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 7(3), 23-41.

Studies Assessing Multiple Outcomes

Nature engagement promotes the overall development of young children, including the acquisition of knowledge and skills across the developmental domains. Nature engagement also promotes young children’s affiliation with the natural world. 

Review of the early childhood environmental education literature presents overwhelmingly strong evidence of positive child development and environmental outcomes.

This systematic review of the literature found that the most frequently reported outcomes of early childhood environmental education (ECEE) programs were in the areas of environmental literacy development, cognitive development, and social and emotional development. Other reported outcomes were in the areas of physical development and language and literacy development. The majority of studies involved three- to six-year-old children in teacher-led, formal educational programs. ECEE practices reported in the reviewed studies led to the identification of nine categories: Time in Nature; Play and Movement; Knowledge and Skill Development; Social Interaction; Creative Arts; Time to Reflect, Think, and Observe; Action Taking; Family Connection; and Personal Connection. Of these, Time in Nature and Play and Movement received the most attention.

Ardoin, N., & Bowers, A. (2020). Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature. Educational Research Review, 31, 100353. 

Contact with nature can contribute to the health and well-being of young children, while also promoting affiliation with other species and the natural world.

This comprehensive literature review was conducted on research published from the 1970s to 2015 focusing on ways contact with nature contributes to the health and well-being of children. Some of the studies included in this review focused on preschool-age children. Some of the reported benefits for this age group include longer sleep at night and higher health ratings by the children’s parents, higher levels of physical activity, lower measures of impulsivity, concern for other life forms, and greater awareness of human-nature interdependence. 

Chawla, L., (2015). Benefits of nature contact for children. Journal of Planning Literature, 30(4), 433-452.

Children participating in a nature preschool made impressive gains in curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience.

Four pilot studies were conducted with preschool children to explore the influence of nature preschools on four outcomes relating to both sustainability and early childhood education goals: curiosity, executive function, creative thinking, and resilience.  Assessment results were used to compare growth among nature preschool participants with participants in non-nature preschools. Results showed that the nature preschool group made significantly greater growth than the  non-nature preschool group in the areas of curiosity, creative thinking, and resilience. There were no significant differences between the two groups in executive function, but both groups exceeded what would be expected due to cognitive maturation of typically developing children. 

Ernst, J., Burcak, F., (2019). Young children’s contributions to sustainability: The influence of nature play on curiosity, executive function skills, creative thinking, and resilience. Sustainability, 11(15).

The thoughtful design of outdoor playspaces incorporating natural elements can encourage more diverse play

This study used the Seven Cs framework to install natural, challenging materials in the outdoor play spaces of two preschool childcare centers that were lacking these elements. The Seven Cs framework considers character, context, connectivity, clarity, change, chance, and challenge of the outdoor play environment. Children’s movements after installation tended to be spatially more complex and involved more engagement with elements in the playspace than prior to installation. This research indicates that natural elements in an outdoor playspace can offer more play opportunities than outdoor play spaces without these elements. 

Herrington, S., Brussoni, M., (2015). Beyond physical activity: The importance of play and nature-based play spaces for children’s health and development. Current Obesity Reports, 4, 477-483.

Outdoor activities may be more effective in promoting early child development than indoor activities.

This study investigated the influence of outdoor activities on the development of one- to three-year-old children attending nursery schools in Italy. Developmental assessments conducted on two groups of children – one participating in an outdoor education program; the other participating in a traditional childcare program – showed that the outdoor program group made significantly greater gains in most of the developmental areas (cognitive, emotional, social, fine motor skills) than children in the traditional education group.

Monti et al. 2017. The role of outdoor education in child development in Italian nursery schools. Early Child Development and Care, 189(6), 867-882.

Outdoor education activities seem to offer greater opportunities than indoor activities for promoting young children’s development.

This quasi-experimental study involved 20 teachers evaluating 93 children (age 3-5) attending two different kindergartens in Italy — — one using an outdoor education (OE) approach and the other a more traditional approach. In all the developmental areas assessed, children in the Outdoor Group were perceived by their teachers to be functioning at a higher level than children in the Traditional Group during the first year of the two-year study. These findings — in addition to suggesting that outdoor education activities seem to promote child development more than indoor activities — could indicate that “OE is more effective for younger children compared to older ones”, perhaps due to children in the younger years being more sensitive to the benefits of OE on child development. 

Agostini, F., Minelli, M. & Mandolesi, R. (2018). Outdoor education in Italian kindergartens: How teachers perceive child developmental trajectories. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.

Outdoor play and engagement with nature promote the educational goals of two- and three-year-old children.

Data collected through observations and interviews focusing on the outdoor play experiences of 14 children from a day-care center in Portugal were analyzed through the lens of Portuguese Pedagogical Guidelines for 0–3-year-old children (PG 0–3). These guidelines are framed around three primary goals relating to self-esteem, curiosity, and social skills. Results showed that the outdoor environment supports the development of all three goals. 

Bento, G. & Costa, J. (2018). Outdoor play as a means to achieve educational goals—a case study in a Portuguese day-care group. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 18(4), 289-302.

PART TWO: TEACHERS’ ROLE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Early childhood educators can play an important role in enhancing young children’s connection with nature, yet not all teachers feel comfortable in facilitating nature-based activities. Recent developments in nature-based early childhood professional preparation programs are showing promise in preparing teachers for this important role. Such programs, however, are exceptions. Most early childhood teacher preparation programs do not include nature-based learning.    Teachers have an important role to play in promoting agency in young children. This research included a systematic literature review focusing on education for sustainable development (ESD) in early childhood education. Findings from the review and input from an international team of practitioners led to the development of a framework for the implementation of teacher professional development opportunities for ESD in early childhood education. Each component of this framework relates in some way to helping children become change agents in their community.  Bascope, M., Perasso, P., Reiss, K., (2019). Systematic review of education for sustainable development at an early stage: Cornerstones and pedagogical approaches for teacher professional development. Sustainability, 11.   Teachers’ ideas and practices about early childhood education for sustainability have changed over time. Eighty-seven articles published between 1996 and 2013 were included in this systematic review of the literature, which focused on research on education for sustainable development (ESD) for children up to five years of age. Findings highlighted ways in which understandings and practices related to ESD have changed over time. ESD previously focused on teaching children facts about the environment;  it now emphasizes teaching children to “act for change”. This shift recognizes young children’s ability to think and act critically as competent agents of change. Hedefalk, M., Almqvist, J., Ostman, L., (2015). Education for sustainable development in early childhood education: A review of the research literature. Environmental Education Research, 21(7), 975-990 .   Best practices for early childhood education for sustainability emphasize conversational versus didactic approaches.  Researchers analyzed videotaped interactions between teachers and preschool children in Singapore in relation to early childhood education for sustainability. Strengths and weaknesses were identified. Instances of teachers building upon children’s experiences and providing real-life examples related to sustainability were coded as strengths. Weaknesses were reflected in the way teachers posed questions about sustainability. Most of the questions had predetermined versus open-ended responses. This form of questioning gives children little opportunity to share their own ideas or arrive at their own conclusions. This study raises awareness of the need for more conversational versus didactic approaches to early childhood education for sustainability. Bautista, A., Moreno-Nunez, A., Ng, S-C., Bull, R., (2018). Preschool educators’ interactions with children about sustainable development: Planned and incidental conversations. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50, 15-32.   Nature-focused activities embedded in a preservice teacher program were used to promote knowledge, skills, and dispositions for early childhood nature education Three specific nature-education projects developed by a community college early childhood teacher educator reflected best practices in early childhood education and environmental education. The nature-education activities were designed to help preservice teachers develop an understanding of nature and promote an emotional connectedness to nature. They were also designed to help preservice teachers develop strategies for fostering nature connectedness for the young children in their classrooms and to make nature education become a part of their identity as teachers. Murphy, D., (2017). Fostering connections to nature – Strategies for community college early childhood teachers. The New Educator, 13(3), 195-206.   Teacher reluctance limits risky play for children at preschool. A survey completed by 58 early childhood teachers, a focus group discussion involving 10 early childhood teachers, an interview with an Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE) specialist, and observational methodologies were used to investigate opportunities for risky outdoor play in preschool environments. Results showed that restrictions to risky play included limited acceptance of risky play among early childhood teachers, safety regulations, and a lack of affordances for risky play in the preschools’ playgrounds. This research highlights the need for education at the level of policy developers and teachers.   LeMasters, A. C., Vandermaas-Peeler, M., (2021). Exploring outdoor play: A mixed-methods study of the quality of preschool play environments and teacher perceptions of risky play. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning.   Some early childhood educators may need extended professional development experience to help them appreciate the value of nature-rich environments for young children. This case study used interview data collected over an 18-month period to explore how teachers’ perceptions of natural play learning environments were transformed through a professional development project. Three early childhood educators working in a center in Australia with a recently re-modelled outdoor learning space participated in the study. While the educators were initially concerned about perceived limitations to the space, after engaging in an extended professional development project, they expressed a deeper appreciation of the value of nature-rich environments to support young children’s active play. Wishart, L. & Rouse, E. (2019). Pedagogies of outdoor spaces: An early childhood educator professional learning journey. Early Child Development and Care, 189(14), 2284-2298.    Also see Brussoni et al. 2017  in “Enhanced Play” section.

PART THREE: CURRENT INITIATIVES, EMERGING TRENDS, AND IDENTIFIED BARRIERS

Current nature-based initiatives and emerging trends offer promising direction for improving the lives of young children. A variety of professionals – including educators, healthcare professionals, city planners, and researchers — are involved in such initiatives. Promising initiatives include the development of nature-based preschools and Forest School and family nature-based programs. Emerging trends in research and practice include actively involving young children in the design and creation of green spaces. An awareness of these current initiatives and attention to barriers to nature engagement for children may prove helpful in enhancing children’s connections with nature and promoting their holistic development.

Nature-Based Preschools and Forest School

Nature preschools, while integrating best practices in early childhood education  and  environmental education, use the natural environment to achieve child development goals. Forest School, as defined by the Forest School Association, is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking in a woodland or other natural environment. Preschoolers attending Forest School usually spend most or all of their school day in the outdoor setting. 

Children attending nature preschools generally have no greater risk of illness and injury than children attending conventional preschools.

This study used a quasi-experimental and longitudinal design to compare the incidence of illness and injury among children attending nature preschools and conventional preschools in Seattle, Washington. Over a period of 11-15 weeks, preschool teachers logged illness and injury data for 141 children: 71 attending nature preschools; 70 attending conventional preschools. Results showed no significant difference in the incidence of illness between children at the two types of preschool. There were no serious injuries at any of the preschools, and the incidence of minor injuries was the same for boys in the two types of preschools. There was a higher incidence of minor injuries for girls at nature preschools than at conventional preschools, but this finding was based on a small sample and involved only 16 minor injuries over the period of several months.

Frenkel, H., Tandon, P., Frumkin, H., Vander Stoep, A., (2018). Illnesses and injuries at nature preschools. Environment and Behavior.

Loose parts and shielded places are highly-desired features of forest sites for preschool children.

This study investigated the characteristics and use of forest sites used by a Danish forest preschool. Children (age 3 -6) and staff at this preschool walked to a forest site approximately four out of five days a week for a 2-5 hour stay. Multiple observations, along with child and teacher interviews, indicated that children liked and used a variety of forest features (or affordances), but that “loose objects” and secluded places were among their favorites.

Lerstrup, I., Refshauge, A.D., (2016). Characteristics of forest sites used by a Danish forest preschool. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20(1), 387-396.

Collaborative efforts between organizations can make forest and nature school opportunities available to more children.

Two organizations involved in the education of young children in Canada worked together to make a forest school experience available to a wider group of children. A memorandum of understanding developed by the executive directors of these two programs included a commitment to have staff trained and certified in a forest school practitioner training and certification program. The memorandum also included an agreement to develop and jointly operate a licensed forest nature school childcare program for preschool children. A related study, involving the two executive directors as co-researchers, examined the policy significance of the project. One of the key findings relates to ways in which a collaborative approach to expanding forest nature school programming can advance social and ecological justice values.

Niblett, B., Hiscott, K., Power, M., McFarlane, H., (2020). Partnering for outdoor play: A case study of forest and nature school programming in the context of licensed child care in Ottawa, Ontario. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 23(2), 67-85.

Family Nature-Based Programs

Family nature-based programs can take a variety of forms, but Family Nature Clubs (FNCs) are probably the most common form. A FNC consists of an organized group of families who get together for regular outings in the natural world. FNCs and other family nature-based programs might be organized by a city, an organization, or one or more families. Parents’ reasons for participating in family-based nature programs include learning about places to go with their children, having fun, having quality time with their children, staying active as a family, and supporting their children’s health and well-being. Participation in family nature-based programs can also promote deeper connections to nature and help families experience a sense of community.

The application of community-based social marketing principles contributed to the success of a family nature club

This paper presents a case study of a family nature club in Columbia, Maryland. During the 9-month study period, the club held 31 outings to nearby natural areas, such as parks, gardens, and wildlife sanctuaries. Multiple sources of data indicated that participating families experienced seven broad categories of significant changes: learning opportunities, nature connections, family connections, social connections, meaningful experiences, enhanced well-being, and reduced barriers to family time in nature. The success of the program was attributed, in part, to the application of some community-based social marketing principles, such as (1) making desired behaviors as easy as possible, (2) offering incentives, (3) highlighting social norms and social modeling, and (4) providing educational activities.

D’Amore, C., Chawla, L., (2017). Many children in the woods: Applying principles of community-based social marketing to a family nature club. Ecopsychology, 9(4), 232-240.

Families participating in a family nature play program experienced enhanced interpersonal relationships, connections to nature, and emotional wellness.

This evaluation of a nature play program for young children (birth to five years of age) and their parents revealed three major outcome categories: enhanced interpersonal relationships, connections to nature, and emotional wellness. The nature-play sessions were offered free of charge in a school setting and included the presence of a therapy dog.

Ward, T., Goldingay, S., Parson, J., (2019). Evaluating a supported nature play programme, parents’ perspectives. Early Child Development and Care, 189(2), 270-283.

More interaction between children and nature occurs in smaller group settings and less organized activities.

This study investigated how children interact with nature through organized events with varying degrees of adult management and planning. The study involved qualitative fieldwork in events organized by the Norwegian nationwide Children’s Trekking Club, a program designed to help children (0-12 years old) gain nature experiences and feel the joy of nature. Data collection involved observation of the participants during 13 different Children’s Trekking Club events. This research showed that “children come closer to each other and to the natural environment in events where there are fewer participants, in which they stay in one place for a long time and where there are not too many planned activities”.

Skar, M., Gundersen, V., O’Brien, L., (2016). How to engage children with nature: Why not just let them play?. Children’s Geographies, 14(5), 527-540.

Designing With and For Young Children

Developing natural playspaces for young children is one way to promote their holistic development and their connectedness to nature. A more effective way may be to involve children in the planning and development process. The studies in this section recognize young children’s right and ability to be actively involved in decision making about issues impacting them. Some of the studies use a participatory design where research is done by children rather than on children. Other studies focus more on children’s preferences and ways of interacting with the natural environment. Important implications from this body of research include the need to recognize young children’s ability to contribute in a meaningful way to the design of playspaces that meet their developmental needs. Implications also include shifting pedagogical practices from a focus on learning in and about environments to providing opportunities for young children to actively participate in sustainable practices.

The active participation of children, parents and teachers can make an important contribution to improving the quality of preschool outdoor environments

Seven preschools in the Basque Country (Spain) participated in this study focusing on how the quality of preschool outdoor environments can be improved through a participatory process involving children, parents and teachers. A total of 1001 children (age 3 – 6) who were attending the participating preschools took photos, drew pictures, and talked about what they would like to have in their school’s outdoor playspace. Their wishes included natural resources (such as sand and water) and places where they could seek shelter and where their motor skills would be challenged. Parents and teachers provided feedback on the children’s ideas and shared observations about the impact of the changes once they were implemented. A quality rating scale showed that the changes resulted in statistically significant improvements to the quality of the outdoor environments of the participating schools.

Muela, A., Larrea, I., Miranda, N., Barandiaran, A., (2019). Improving the quality of preschool outdoor environments: Getting children involved. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 27(3), 385-396.

Engaging young children as co-researchers recognizes their agency and right to be involved in matters of relevance to them

This paper presents four different methods that can be used to promote children’s agency in early childhood environmental education research.  These methods include Art Making, Role Playing, Building a Model, and Book Making. These methods were used with young children in a forest setting. In addition to providing “a backdrop for children to reflect on the beauty and awe of nature”, this setting also gave children an opportunity to interact with and incorporate aspects of nature into their artistic creations. Additionally, children’s role play in/with nature reflected their interests and understandings of their local ecology.

Green, C., (2017). Four methods for engaging young children as environmental education researchers. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 5(1).

Children’s “dream” playspaces are outdoor environments with opportunities for risky play and access to natural materials

Researchers engaged 110 children in making drawings of an ideal playground in a local shopping center in Sydney, Australia.  This playspace was in a building with one side open to the outdoors. Forty-four drawings were completed by preschool-aged children (age 3-5); sixty-six by primary-age children (age 5-9). While the children were not coached to include the outdoor space, all of their drawings depicted the outdoors and featured natural and other-than-human elements. Eight categories of elements were identified: speed and risk, active play, animals, natural elements/flowers, water, games, buildings, and place with people or where you feel good. The two most frequent features in all the drawings were (1) play equipment where the children could engage in risky play and (2) active playspaces and structures. 

Ward, K., (2018). What’s in a dream? Natural elements, risk and loose parts in children’s dream playspace drawings. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 43(1), 34-42.

Play settings with a combination of natural and manufactured elements are highly preferred by young children.

The context for this study was a North Carolina preschool with three different types of play areas: natural, mixed, and manufactured. Photo preferences and semi-structured interviews were used to investigate children’s perception of preferred play settings. Observations of children (age 4-5) in the playspaces were also conducted to investigate the types of play behaviors in each setting. While cognitive play behaviors were observed in all three settings, there were differences in how the settings stimulated such play. The natural setting seemed to promote higher levels of cognitive play, as it was in this area that different dramatic play themes were most evident. The manufactured setting primarily supported functional play, while the mixed setting offered the most opportunities for different types of play. The area most preferred by the children was the mixed play setting which incorporated both natural and manufactured elements.

Zamani, Z., (2017). Young children’s preferences: What stimulates children’s cognitive play in outdoor preschools?. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(3), 256-274.

Focusing on child-nature interaction patterns can expand our understanding of children’s engagement with the natural world.

Data for this study was based on filmed observations conducted at a nature preschool located at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens. Seven keystone child-nature interaction patterns were identified: using one’s body vigorously in nature, striking wood on wood, constructing shelter, being in solitude in nature, lying on earth, cohabiting with a wild animal, and being outside in weather.

Kahn, P.H., Weiss, T., Harrington, K., (2018). Modeling child-nature interaction in a nature preschool: A proof of concept. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.

Young children, with support of early childhood educators, have the ability to be meaningfully involved in ecologically sustainable practices

This field report describes two early childhood education for sustainability projects – one in Australia and one in the United States – in which preschool children played an active role in making changes critical to the regeneration of natural environments. In each case, the children demonstrated empathy for non-human species and viewed themselves as capable of making meaningful contributions to the larger community. Children, acting upon these dispositions and capacities, engaged in activities promoting sustainable practices beyond their individual classrooms.

Konerman, R., Elliott, S., Pugh, R., Luthy, T., Carr, V., (2021). Children’s agency and action in nature preschool: A tale of two programs. Children, Youth and Environments, 31(2), 139-150.

Barriers to Young Children’s Engagement with Nature

While there’s a growing awareness of the benefits of nature for children, certain barriers limit their access to nature. Identified barriers include safety and weather concerns, costs, and negative attitudes.

Narratives of exclusion serve as barriers to engagement with nature for infants and toddlers at ECEC settings

A search of the academic literature for this review confirmed researchers’ suspicion that the research focusing on outdoor provision for infants and toddlers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings is very limited. While the search was international in scope and no limit was placed on date of publication, only 21 papers were identified. Four themes emerged from an analysis of these papers: the outdoors as a space to be physically active; the outdoors as a risky space; providing an appropriate outdoor environment; and the role of the practitioner. Concerns relating to “narratives of exclusion” were identified in each of these categories. 

Kemp, K., Josephidou, J., (2021). Babies and toddlers outdoors: a narrative review of the literature on provision for under twos in ECEC settings. Early Years.

Barriers to young children’s engagement with nature at some preschools include parent and educator attitudes and funding and cost issues.

Data for this study was based on government document review, 25 stakeholder interviews, and 7 site visits to outdoor playspaces in Scotland. The review of the documents revealed a shift by the Scottish government away from risk aversion to an appreciation of risk benefit analysis. Information gathered from interviews and site visits revealed a number of barriers to implementation of an outdoor play policy for young children, including parent and educator attitudes and funding and cost issues.

Perlman, M., Howe, N., Bergeron, C., (2020). How and why did outdoor play become a central focus of Scottish early learning and care policy. Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 23(2), 46-66.

Individual and environmental barriers may limit caregivers’ ability to access their urban greenspaces

Barriers to more frequent use of parks noted by primary caregivers in low-income neighborhoods include (1) “dislike of the natural environment” (due to such elements as bugs, wild animals, and fear of sunburn), (2) lack of access and funds to travel to desirable outdoor spaces, (3) medical concerns (e.g. flair up of chronic conditions),  (4) weather conditions, and (5) safety and maintenance concerns. 

Sefcik, J.S., Kondo, M.C., Klusaritz, H., Sarantschin, E., Solomon, S., Roepke, A., South, E.C., Jacoby, S.F., (2019). Perceptions of nature and access to green space in four urban neighborhoods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13).

PART FOUR: Research-Supported Recommendations for Connecting Young Children with Nature

Following are some specific evidence-based recommendations for enhancing young children’s engagement with nature. While these recommendations are based on the research presented in this bibliography, they should not be considered authoritative. Users should be aware that nature-based activities effective in promoting desired child development outcomes in one situation may not be appropriate or effective in other situations with significantly different characteristics. Specific recommendations are divided into five categories: Education, Health, and Well-Being; Connectedness to Nature and Environmental Stewardship; Nature Play, Family Engagement, and Green Space Planning and Development.

Education, Health, and Well-Being

• Blend forest school with formal education to promote social-emotional functioning. (Coates & Pimlott-Wilson, 2019; de Brito Miranda et al. 2017).
• Work collaboratively with other community agencies or programs to make forest and nature school opportunities available to more children. ( Niblett et al. 2020 ). 
• Make garden-based learning a regular part of early childhood education as a means of promoting language and literacy skills and other school readiness skills. (Murakami et al. 2018).
• Use nature-based play activities to promote language development and ecological literacy. (de Brito Miranda 2017)
• Increase the amount of time children spend outdoors in natural environments to promote physical activity (Truelove et al. 2018; Wishart et al. 2019), more complex play (Morrissey et al. 2017), executive function skills (Carr et al. 2017; Zamzow & Ernst 2020), and other areas of child development. (Agnostini et al. 2018; Ardoin & Bowers 2020; Bento & Costa 2018; Chawla 2015; Monti et al. 2017)
• Provide more contact with nature to help children relax and deal with stressors in their lives. (Cooke et al. 2020)
• Promote connectedness to nature to reduce stress and related behavior concerns (Sobko et al. 2020)
• Foster the development and quality of life of children with special needs by giving them more opportunities to spend time outdoors. (Di Carmine & Berto 2020; Dunst 2020; Ulset et al. 2017; Zachor, 2017)

Connectedness to Nature and Environmental Stewardship

• Encourage children to become agents of change for the environment by addressing issues in their local community. (Bascope et al. 2019; Bautista et al. 2018; Boyd 2019; Hedefalk et al. 2015; Konerman et al. 2021)
• Use pro-environmental practices (Bascope et al. 2019)  to promote a sustainability mindset in young children.
• Integrate environmental education and education for sustainability into early childhood education. (Ardoin & Bowers 2020)
• Use place-based learning to help young children develop a sustainability perspective (Boyd 2019)
• Encourage young children to take the perspective of other living things. (Acar & Torquati 2015)
• Attend to both the quality and quantity of time in nature to promote connectedness to nature. (Beery et al. 2020)
• Engage young children as co-researchers in environmental education research. (Green 2017)

Nature Play

• Increase children’s opportunities for child-led nature-based play to promote young children’s physical activity, cognitive functioning, enhanced forms of play, creativity, and other areas of child development (Dankiw et al. 2020).
• Place more emphasis on free play than planned activities (Skar et al. 2016).
• Encourage risk taking in self-directed nature play. (Brussoni et al. 2017; LeMasters & Vandermaas-Peeler 2021)
• Encourage nature play by providing a wide variety of natural materials and other types of open-ended loose parts. (Storli et al. 2020)

Family Engagement

• Encourage family-based nature activities, including the development of park prescription programs (Razani 2018), family nature clubs (D’Amore & Chawla, 2017) and family nature play programs (Ward et al, 2019).
• Generally, limit outdoor family-based events to small groups and plan for less organized activities. (Skar et al, 2016).
• Encourage family participation in nature-based activities by making desired behaviors as easy as possible, offering incentives, highlighting social norms and social modeling, and providing educational activities. (D’Amore & Chawla 2017)
• Be sensitive to potential barriers to family engagement, such as costs, time issues, transportation, weather concerns, and negative attitudes. (Perlman et al. 2020; Sefcik et al. 2019)

Green Space Planning and Development

• Green the outdoor environments, especially the outdoor playspaces, of childcare and preschool settings. (Puhakka et al. 2019).
• When designing and developing outdoor playspaces for young children, make access to natural elements a priority (Morrissey et al. 2017) and provide opportunities for risky play. (Ward 2018)
• Actively involve young children in the design and creation of green spaces (Muela 2019; Ward 2018).
• Design and build playspaces with children’s preferences and key interaction patterns in mind (Kahn et al. 2018; Ward 2018; Zamani 2017)
• Include a variety of loose parts and shielded places in playspaces for young children. (Lerstrup & Refshauge 2016)
• Add biodiverse elements to a play yard to promote exploration, creativity, and positive environmental relationships (Puhakka et al. 2019) and to enhance preschoolers’ immune systems (Roslund et al. 2020).
• Use both natural and manufactured elements to increase opportunities for risky play (Kleppe 2018) and to encourage a wider variety of play (Zamani 2017).

RELATED RESOURCES

There are many resources available for connecting young children with nature. Many such resources can be accessed through the following organizations.

Children & Nature Network https://www.childrenandnature.org

Natural Learning Initiative https://naturalearning.org/resources /

Natural Start Alliance https://naturalstart.org/

Nature Explore https://natureexplore.org/

Forest School Association https://forestschoolassociation.org/

Other online resources include the following:

Cities Connecting Children to Nature https://www.childrenandnature.org/cities/cities-connecting-children-to-nature/

Nature Play and Learning Places: Creating and Managing Places Where Children Engage with Nature . http://outdoorplaybook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Nature-Play-Learning-Places_v1.5_Jan16.pdf

The Benefits of Environmental Education and Nature Connections in Early Childhood . https://naaee.org/eepro/research/eeworks/benefits-ee-and-nature-connections-early

Practitioner Guide to Assessing Connectedness to Nature : https://naaee.org/eepro/publication/practitioner-guide-assessing-connection

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An Annotated Bibliography on Children’s Development of Social Inclusion and Respect for Diversity

AuthoR Dr. Mariajosé Romero is associate research scientist at NCCP, where her research examines the intersections of class, race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status and ability in structuring disparities in early education and early school processes – that is, early chronic school absenteeism, student mobility, teacher absenteeism and mobility – and child outcomes, as well as ways to redress those disparities through a social inclusion and respect for diversity framework.

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Social disadvantage is a construct that captures various dimensions of social position, such as economic status, educational attainment, as well as ethnicity. There is considerable evidence that social disadvantage is associated with emotional and behavioural problems in children (Bergin & Bergin, 2015). Nowadays, the theme of inclusion is accurate hence the issue of social disadvantages is not topic just for the pedagogy and pedagogical workers. At the same level, the authors focus on social disadvantages children in kindergartens. A challenge for intervention includes that social disadvantage is often structural in nature and, as a result, is largely impervious to change. It has been found that much of the association of low family income with adverse child development is indirect, through more proximal processes such as parental mental health and the home environment, rather than direct. Therefore, it is crucial for pedagogical workers such as teacher, teacher assistants etc., to...

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Given that inclusion benefits all children, it is important to understand why there are discrepancies in its implementation. Understanding teachers' views on inclusion may help identify ways to improve its implementation and prevent disparities. Although teachers' beliefs about inclusion have been widely explored, the beliefs and experiences of early childhood general and special education teachers in urban settings remain relatively understudied. This study explored early childhood educators' perceptions of inclusion in urban schools, using a mixed-method approach. The results from the qualitative focus group interviews (n = 13) reveal that most teachers have positive beliefs about inclusion and that there are specific benefits, challenges, and needs concerning early inclusion in urban settings. The analysis of the survey data (n = 36) shows differences in beliefs about inclusion among teachers of different ages and/or years of experience. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Yiola Cleovoulou

The purpose of this 1-year case study was to understand how 5 elementary school teachers in an inner-city school foster social inclusion. Through classroom observations and interviews, the study examined the variations of classroom practices the teachers used to create inclusive environments, the challenges they faced in the process, and the strategies they developed to address these challenges. How their work in the classroom interacted with the school&#39;s organizational structures was also explored. Three concepts frame the study: a broad conception of social inclusion that addresses multiple aims for creating an environment of belonging and takes students of all social identities into account; a detailed conception of the practice of social inclusion from a range of theoretical perspectives and teachers&#39; experiences; and a situated conception of context that interrelates the classroom with the school and the community. Three dimensions of pedagogy—content-based practices, r...

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This article explores the potential inclusion and exclusion factors affecting the developmental outcomes of immigrant children, and examines the influence of inclusive school environment, social/psychological isolation, and perceived dis-crimination by peers and teachers on the psychosocial and academic adjustment of immigrant children. Our study is based on a subset of data from the New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCYS), a national longitudinal survey in-cluding 515 foreign-born immigrant children (11 to 13 years) from three ethnic groups (Mainland China, Hong Kong, the Philippines) living in the Montreal and Toronto metropolitan areas, Canada. The results show that after controlling for socio-demographic background variables, teachers ’ discriminatory attitudes and psychological isolation contribute to the prediction of risk for immigrant children’s self-esteem, social competence, and academic performance. Inclusive school environment has a significant effect on social com...

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Good Annotations

What is an annotated bibliography (video), creating an annotated bibliography, annotated bibliographies in apa style.

A good annotation summarizes and evaluates each source. A good annotation does the following:

• discusses the writer's background/credibility
• summarizes the content of the source
• describes the usefulness of the source
• draws connections between the source content and the student's research topic
• begins with a properly formatted citation

Need help creating annotated bibliographies? Below are a few sources that help explain what should be included in the annotations:

• Annotated Bibliographies by The Online Writing Center at Purdue University
• Annotated Bibliographies by The Writing Center at University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Writing an Annotated Bibliography (includes sample phrases and terms)

New to APA 7 style, the Publication Manual (Section 9.51) provides formatting guidance and examples for annotated bibliographies.

• Examples of Annotated Bibliographies with APA Style Citations Multiple examples of different types of annotated bibliography entries in APA style from UNC Chapel Hill Writing Center.
• APA 7 Annotated Bibliography Sample Purdue OWL sample annotated biblioraphies includes one in APA 7 style.
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Annotated bibliography

Definition .

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (articles, books, webpages, etc.) on your research topic.

Each source has its own entry, which includes:

• A citation or reference for the source--usually APA for early childhood education courses.
• An annotation: a paragraph summarizing the source and commenting on how it fits into the world of information on your topic.
• Annotated bibliography: APA sample Open the above document in a new tab or window.

What to include

Professors who assign annotated bibliographies sometimes have specific requirements for:

• The number of sources to include.
• The type of sources to include (i.e. journal articles, webpages, encyclopedia entries, etc.)
• The information to include in the annotation.

Make sure you understand the requirements of your assignment, and get help from a librarian.

Literature review

Definition:  Like an annotated bibliography, a literature review is a paper or section of a paper that reviews what's already been published on your research topic.

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review is written in a standard paper format, with citations grouped together on the last page.

Literature review: a scholarly conversation

Some people think of literature review as being like a party where there are lots of conversations happening at once.

Here's a 2-minute video illustrating this metaphor:

Your literature review is an overview of all the conversations going on at the party, highlighting where guests agree and disagree, and what questions are still unanswered.

• Literature Review Example Open the above document in a new tab or window.
• Find the literature review in this article Schmitt, W. S., & Faas, C. (2016). Alignment of Educational and Occupational Expectations Influences on Young Adult Educational Attainment, Income, and Underemploymentpass:[*]. Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell), 97(5), 1174–1188. https://doi-org.libdb.dccc.edu/10.1111/ssqu.12244

Parts of a research article

In general, the parts of a primary research article should include:

• Abstract : Summary of the research question and findings.
• Introduction : Overview of the context of the research question, including literature review.
• Materials/Methods : Description of the method used to collect data.
• Results : Analysis of data and outcomes of the study.
• Discussion : Description of how the results answer or don't answer the research question.
• Conclusion : Summary, significance of research.
• References : Research papers and other information sources that were referenced in the article, most prominently in the Introduction/Literature review.

Typically these sections are usually called out with headings throughout the article.

Look for these sections in the article above to help you understand the information and its purpose in each section.

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• NCSU Lit Review Matrix Need help getting started? Here's a useful guide from North Carolina State University with guidance on how to read and organize your thoughts for a literature review.
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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources one has used or intends to use for a research project. It differs from a regular bibliography in that an annotated bibliography includes a summary or evaluation of each source. Annotated bibliographies serve as great preparation for research projects because you will have a better idea of what each source on your bibliography is about and how it is relevant to your work.

Style Guide

An annotated bibliography contains two parts, a citation of the source and a short summary of the source.  It may also include a statement from the individual using the source about why this source is relevant to his/her work. Typically your professor will determine the length and necessary content for annotations. As with a standard bibliography or works cited page, an annotated bibliography should list the citations in alphabetical order and the document should be double spaced. Use a hanging indent so that all lines after the first line of the citation are indented. This includes the entirety of the annotation; the author’s last name is the only text that should be left aligned.

Other helpful information with examples

APA: Creating APA Style Annotated Bibliographies - Bethel University

Chicago: Creating an annotated bibliography in Chicago style - Eastern Nazarene College

MLA: Annotated Bibliography Samples - CSU Northridge Oviatt Library

ASA: Creating an annotated bibliography in ASA style - Eastern Nazarene College

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL):  Annotated Bibliography

Definitions

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