Arts in Nature with Children and Young People

This novel text brings together research and practice on the intersection between arts and nature and their impact on children and young people?s wellbeing, health equality and sustainability.

Existing literature focuses on either the impact of the arts or the impact of being in/with nature on children?s and young people?s wellbeing. However, the intersection between the two ? arts and nature ? and their combined effect on wellbeing has received limited attention. Through five research-based and seven practice-based chapters, this book draws upon arts-in-nature practices that incorporate visual arts, music, movement, drama and poetry, in a range of natural environments, such as forests, beaches, greenhouses, parks, community areas and school playgrounds.

Arts in Nature with Children and Young People will appeal to anyone working with children and young people, including mental health and healthcare professionals, teachers, researchers, artists, and arts therapists. It is also an accessible guide for parents and families looking for inspiration and ideas for creative and outdoor activities.

?Arts in Nature with Children and Young People is essential reading for all who wish to understand the fundamental connection between human flourishing and the natural environment. Like Zoe and Nicola, I too have been inspired and moved by the work of Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination. Through the voices of children, we know that being creative in nature is transformative for their learning and growth. This is a critical field of study in relation to the climate emergency and the ever growing crisis in young people?s mental health.?

Alex Coulter, Director of the National Centre for Creative Health

?From the creative programming of practitioners to the empirical findings of researchers, the editors of Arts in Nature with Children and Young People have curated a dynamic collection of papers, highlighting the educational, developmental, and therapeutic value of engaging with nature and art. Moula and Walshe have produced a valuable resource for practitioners working with children and youth.?

Nevin J. Harper, PhD, RCC. Professor, counsellor, and author of Nature-based Therapy and editor of Outdoor Therapies

?Bravo to authors, Moula and Walshe who have assembled an outstanding group of authors to demonstrate the healing power of the arts in nature in a variety of natural settings. Grounded in empirical research, this trailblazing book brilliantly synthesizes the interconnectedness between the arts and nature to support the overall well-being of children and adolescents. Beneficially, this book will ultimately inspire readers to personally engage the arts in natural landscapes to deepen their own ecological sense of self.?

Janet A. Courtney, PhD. Founder FirstPlay Therapy, author and co-editor of Nature-based Play and Expressive Therapies: Interventions for Children, Teens, and Families

?This book brings together an impressive breadth of research and practice showing how creative arts experiences carried out in natural settings can contribute to wellbeing. The authors explore the contribution of a variety of ?arts-in-nature? practices toward promoting individual and community wellbeing, social justice, cultural awareness, and personal and environmental sustainability. This is a major contribution of utmost importance to personal and planetary healing for the future of our young people and our Earth.?

Professor Sally Atkins, Ed.D., REAT, REACE, Founding Director of Expressive Arts, Appalachian State University and author of Nature-Based Expressive Arts Therapy