Developing children’s connection with nature: Exploring pedagogically designed nature routines in Swedish outdoors preschools

There are increased ‘calls to reconnect humanity with the biosphere’ to respond to the current environmental crisis. The formative potential of nature experiences for individual’s development of connectedness with nature therefore requires attention. Specifically, connecting children with nature through nature experiences could be a leverage point for sustainable development. This thesis explores the temporal dimension of nature experiences, i.e. nature routines, for young children from a socialecological systems perspective. The views of experienced pedagogues in Swedish outdoors preschools are addressed. The results show that affective connectedness with nature develops in four general phases: being comfortable in nature, enjoy being in nature, caring for nature and oneness with nature, while experiential and cognitive connectedness with nature develop gradually. There is a progression in the pedagogically designed nature routines during the time at the preschool, as pedagogues facilitate relevant learning situations in nature to support the on-going development of children’s connectedness with nature. Nature routines are understood as generating enculturation on how to be and behave in nature. Furthermore, pedagogues’ functional classification of nature places highlights the pedagogical values of varying natural environments and biotopes near the preschool. Implications for urban planning could therefore be investigated further. Future research could also address the relevance of nature routines and the phases of affective connectedness with nature for other age groups