Contemporary education does not leave students with all of the necessary skills to navigate the increased complexity of the shrinking globe. The loss of practical skills for sensitive engagement with the built and natural environment is a root cause of sustainability issues. Sustainable environmental systems education informed by the principles of forest kindergarten and Katie Davis’ Six Strategies for Environmental Learning are focused on embodied experience, teaching intellectual as well as ethical and emotional lessons leaving learners with the practical skills that they need to engage with holistic environmental systems. Natural systems sustain themselves in the way that designed systems also should. "The natural consumption cycle is a closed loop system where the waste of one is consumable of another." (9 Orr, 2004) Interior space fights the inevitable decay that is part of a natural life cycle, overlooking long-term life cycle implications. The sustainable systems and process of the built environment can be informed by the closed loop system of natural consumption. Design can remind humans of their role in the ecosystem. This closed loop system can also inform the evaluation of materials and furniture and the reuse of materials that might otherwise have been overlooked, resulting in the use, and production, of less new materials. This project explores the typology of Forest Kindergarten within the interior environment using a framework informed by concepts of nature inspired design, systems inspired design and material inspired design in order to challenge expectations of contemporary education and the built environment in order to leave users with new expectations of their role in the natural ecosystem.

Contemporary education does not leave students with all of the necessary skills to navigate the increased complexity of the shrinking globe. The loss of practical skills for sensitive engagement with the built and natural environment is a root cause of sustainability issues. Sustainable environmental systems education informed by the principles of forest kindergarten and Katie Davis’ Six Strategies for Environmental Learning are focused on embodied experience, teaching intellectual as well as ethical and emotional lessons leaving learners with the practical skills that they need to engage with holistic environmental systems. Natural systems sustain themselves in the way that designed systems also should. "The natural consumption cycle is a closed loop system where the waste of one is consumable of another." (9 Orr, 2004) Interior space fights the inevitable decay that is part of a natural life cycle, overlooking long-term life cycle implications. The sustainable systems and process of the built environment can be informed by the closed loop system of natural consumption. Design can remind humans of their role in the ecosystem. This closed loop system can also inform the evaluation of materials and furniture and the reuse of materials that might otherwise have been overlooked, resulting in the use, and production, of less new materials. This project explores the typology of Forest Kindergarten within the interior environment using a framework informed by concepts of nature inspired design, systems inspired design and material inspired design in order to challenge expectations of contemporary education and the built environment in order to leave users with new expectations of their role in the natural ecosystem.

The aim of the work was to objectively examine the physical activity of children in two different types of preschools, in forest kindergarten and common kindergartens. The theoretical part deals with the characteristic of movement in the preschool children, with factors influencing physical activity, the benefits for this age and the means for measuring objectively physical activity. Research is focused on one particular forest kindergarten. Pedometer was elected for measuring the examined physical activity. According to the results children in the forest kindergarten make more steps during their stay in school as well as overall per day than children in regular kindergartens. Conversely in the afternoon after leaving the nursery they are less active than the children from regular kindergartens. The most prominent difference in the level of physical activity between the two groups of children showed during their stay in pre-school facilities. Forest nursery could be a good alternative to preschool education in terms of sufficient physical activity.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze Kladno kindergarten market in order to find out whether there is room for a new kindergarten operating according to forest kindergarten principles. The theoretical part of the thesis focuses on the nonprofit organizations marketing in general and its specifics. The thesis further deals with the idea of the forest kindergarten itself, describes its history and the current situation in the Czech Republic and finally it explores the conditions necessary for utilizing this alternative concept of pre-school education in the Czech Republic. In the practical part of the thesis the analysis of the pre-school education supply in Kladno is compared to local demographics, respectively the local demand. The market research part investigates possible clients' requirements for a kindergarten and reveals whether the respondents would be interested in a forest kindergarten being opened. Based on the results of the research a proposal of the new kindergarten is defined and a communication campaign suitable for the kindergarten's market entry is described.

This master thesis is based on a five-month research of a relationship between the children and material culture of a forest kindergarten. The main focus of the work is casted on the analysis of the significance of material objects during the children s information internalization by means of the sensual experience. The evocative role of concrete material items that are presented in everyday life of children in the forest kindergarten is shown in this thesis. The children senses are activated by material items and these items serve as an impulse for the children learning process. The work also contains an analysis of the important objects from the children s point of view. The conventional anthropological methods were used within the research in this master thesis - the participant observation in the forest kindergarten and the non-formal interviews with the kindergarten staff. Moreover, the picture analysis method was used to indentify the material items having an important role for the children in the forest kindergarten. The collected photodocumen- tation is employed to illustrate the specific environment and activities in the forest kindergarten. Keywords: forest kindergarten, material culture, sensual experience, learning process

Children have the intrinsic drive to play and be outdoors, as well as the curiosity to explore the world around them (Louv, 2008). Connections and interactions with nature tend to be beneficial for children’s cognitive development, with outcomes ranging from improved cognitive functioning (Wells, 2000) to the development of important academic skills (Miller, 2007). Perhaps more significant though are the positive outcomes among nature, health, and wellbeing (e.g., Taylor & Kuo, 2009), along with the cultivation of environmental appreciation, empathy, and stewardship (e.g., Ewert et al., 2005). Many nature-based early years programs have been developed and adopted around the world, placing emphasis on fostering children’s experiences, interactions, and connections with the natural world. As this global early years phenomenon continues to build momentum, the need to investigate how children are experiencing these nature-based early years programs becomes more pertinent. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of four children’s experiences at a nature-based early years program located in a small town on the outskirts of an Eastern Ontario urban centre. Data were collected using qualitative methodology (observations, photographs, semi-structured interviews, and photo elicitation) and took place over a five-week period in the winter term. Data were analyzed using conventional qualitative means, through open coding and identifying categories and overarching themes (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010). Using Place-Based Education as the theoretical guide, data were explored using three main themes: lived experience; connections to place and to community; and learning, growth, and development. The findings from this research not only illuminate the children’s experiences at a nature-based early years program, but also provide the fertile ground upon which further examination and discussion can grow—an examination and discussion of the significance of nature-based learning as it relates to contemporary education. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2013-08-30 10:33:49.614

The paper aims to examine how the specific conditions in forest kindergartens may affect motor development of young children and to identify other daily life factors that may have an impact on motor development. A test of motor skills was used to compare results of children from forest schools and regular kindergartens. The work is based on theoretical knowledge about children's motor development, motor skills and abilities and various ways to test them. A set of motor tests was compiled to measure the level of motor skills in both types of kindergartens. The theoretical part provides the reader with characteristics of both types of schools to show how the conditions may vary and assess the differences. The comparison of the results of the tests shows that natural conditions for physical activities in forest kindergartens do not lead to better results in motor skills tests. The parents of participating children were given a questionnaire and the provided answers were then compared with the children's performance in the tests. This method proved that neither time actively spent with parents nor exercising in extracurricular activities have a significant effect on the motor level development of children. Key words Forest kindergarten, regular kindergarten, motor development, motor skills and abilities

Title: The importance of nature as a learning environment in Czech forest kindergartens and forest kindergartens abroad from the perspective of pedagogues. Objektive: The aim of this thesis is to obtain specific information about functioning of forest kindergartens abroad and compare them forest kindergartens in the Czech Republic. My next target was get from the general public in the Czech Republic specific information about their awareness of nature and forest kindergartens. Results: The result of the processing of literature related to preschool pedagogy, alternative pedagogical directions, forest kindergarten. We approached the issue. Through the questionnaire investigation compared the forest kindergarten in the Czech Republic and abroad. Thanks questionnaire investigation results we should recognized in self-knowledge and awareness, that we are part of nature. Keywords: education, relationships with nature, alternative pedagogical directions, forest kindergarten, nature, child abroad, questioning

My diploma thesis is focused on specific topic called "How to be influenced by nature in a learning process - let the nature teach ourselves". In the first part of the thesis there are mentioned the first attempts trying to connect nature into the educational system and the history of this principle applied abroad and in our country. The main research is interested in activities undertaken in countryside during pre-school and school teaching as well as children's leisure time. The empirical part is casuistry capturing the main image of newly established school Zeměkvítek showing the way how children's learning and perceiving is affected by being in the nature during school and pre-school teaching. The results of the practical part shows that lessons in an outdoor environment contribute positively on development of children's learning. On the bases of SWOT analysis it can be stated that there is high possibility that ZŠ Zeměkvítek will develop and gain more members.

Title: The importance of nature as a learning environment by mapping forest clubs and forest kindergartens in the Liberec region from from the point of view of educators. Objective: The aim of my thesis is to map forest kindergartens and forest clubs in the Liberec region. Further, by using semi-structured interviews to obtain specific information about the operation and educational activities of the forest kindergartens and clubs in the district. Results: Literature about pre-school pedagogy, alternative ways of education, forest kindergartens gave us insights into the topic. From semi-structured interviews that I conducted with various teachers of forest kindergartens or clubs in the Liberec region, I received necessary information. The functioning of forest kindergartens and forest clubs is different in many ways. Opening hours of kindergartens are about 7:00 to 17:00. Their approach to children is inspired by Waldorf and Montessori pedagogy. The timetable of the day differs, but the materials they use are similar and come from nature. All respondents mentioned that parents cooperate with them. It was evident that all of them have good relationship to nature and see its positive influence on children. Crucial final information is that the way of education changes from authoritarian to liberal,...