Evidence on cognitive function benefits of forest preschool is mixed: teacher-rated global cognition improved, but executive functions and working memory showed no significant differences¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q2 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i3 Teachers rated the global cognitive function of outdoor-kindergarten children significantly better than indoor-kindergarten children after two school years. → Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia 2023 q2 i? No significant differences between forest and indoor preschool children emerged in executive functions or working memory. → Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia 2023 (2)

Evidence¶

Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia 2023¶

Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia. (2023). Psychological Benefits of Attending Forest School for Preschool Children: a Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09750-4

q2 · i3 · review · r3

Review's account of Agostini et al. (2018), a quasi-experimental pre-post study of 41 outdoor and 52 indoor kindergarten children rated with the Kuno Beller Developmental Tables; the printed effect is ηp2 = 0.51, a large effect.

"The results showed that teachers’ assessments of the global cognitive function of children in the outdoor kindergarten were significantly better than in the indoor kindergarten after 2 consecutive school years (p < 0.001, ηp 2 = 0.51)."

Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia 2023 (2)¶

Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia. (2023). Psychological Benefits of Attending Forest School for Preschool Children: a Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09750-4

q2 · i? · review · r3

Review's account of Müller et al. (2017), a pre-post study of 41 nature-kindergarten and 45 indoor-kindergarten children tested with the boxes task, CPT, and HSKT; no effect size exceeded ηp2 = 0.02.

"There were no significant differences in improvements in all cognitive measures compared to children in indoor preschool (working memory: p = 0.19, ηp 2 = 0.02; attention: p = 0.51, ηp 2 = 0.01; inhibition: p = 0.76, ηp 2 = 0.00)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Teacher-reported play and social behavior improves in forest preschool, but parent-reported behavior shows no significant differences — related
• Forest preschool attendance is associated with improved balance and coordination, but not with objectively measured physical activity — related
• Forest preschool attendance is associated with improvements in creative thinking in preschool children, with only forest-school groups improving on all creative dimensions — related
• Forest preschool shows mixed subjective-outcome effects: improved sleep, resilience, and curiosity, but no changes in academic readiness or illness and injury incidence — related