The Influence of Forest Recreation Activity on Child Development

[[abstract]]Forest recreation is a popular leisure activity for people. People feel comfortable and relax in the nature environment and the nature is like the mother of people; in the mean while, the nature could also provide a lot of benefits for young children or babies. It could make influences on children if they usually contact with the nature and provide the best nature environment in forest recreation areas. Therefore, this study would be explored if and how the forest recreation activity would influence children. The data were collected by questionnaire and the sampling method is convenient sampling. The object is parent with children below twelve years ago and had gone to forest areas before. The analysis methods were applied by descriptive statistics, ANOVA, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that (a) the five appetizing activities for children were according by water playing, observing animals and plants, knowing animals and plants, touching animals and plants and collecting specimen;(b) )the enjoyable activity was divided into creativity activity, passive activity and active activity by factor analysis;(c) it was referred to three groups according to participation by cluster analysis and the cognition of three groups on influence degree has remarkable difference. Children belong to high participation group like creativity activity than other groups.;(d) the sequence of influence of forest recreation activity on children is inspiring creativity, sense development, relaxing emotion and satisfying curiosity