Forest preschool shows mixed subjective-outcome effects: improved sleep, resilience, and curiosity, but no changes in academic readiness or illness and injury incidence¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Forest-kindergarten children showed significant improvements in overall subjective sleep quality after eight months. → Enrico Sella · Monica Bolognesi · Emma Bergamini · Lucia Mason · Francesca Pazzaglia 2023 q2 i? No significant differences emerged in school readiness ratings or in the incidence of illness and injury. → 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 · i? · causal · r1

Review's account of Choi et al. (2014), a quasi-experimental pre-post study with parent-reported Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire data from 18 forest-kindergarten and 19 regular-kindergarten children.

"After 8 months, children in the forest kindergarten showed significant improvements in overall subjective sleep quality (i.e., fewer sleep disturbances); in particular, fewer children experienced sleep disordered breathing (p = 0.04) and daytime sleepiness levels (p < 0.001) compared to children attending the regular kindergarten."

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 Frenkel et al. (2019), an 11–15-week illness/injury log in 71 forest-preschool and 70 indoor-preschool children; no overall difference, though girls in nature preschool had higher minor-injury incidence. Cordiano et al. (2019) also found no readiness differences (p > 0.05).

"There were no significant differences between nature and indoor preschools (IRR: 0.93, 95% CI = [0.64, 1.34]). The only difference was that girls at nature pre -school had a significantly higher incidence of minor injury compared to those in indoor preschool (IRR: 5.91, 95% CI = [1.98, 17.7], p < 0.01)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Sleep — outcome: instruction changes it

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 higher nature connectedness on some measures, with no significant changes in environmentally responsible behaviors — related
• 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 — related
• Enrollment in center-based preschool was not associated with parent-reported curiosity at kindergarten — related