Childhood and Nature

The relationship between childhood and nature is rooted in broader discussions of the separation between, or entanglement of, two key concepts: (1) nature and (2) culture. The question arises whether childhood is a nature-associated or a culture-associated category, or a hybrid one. Since the 18th century, a number of different perspectives, as well as pedagogical approaches, have been put forward. This entry provides an overview of the nature, continuities, and divergences of the most influential approaches, which include romantic perspectives on childhood and nature, rational and rights-based perspectives on the nature of childhood, nature-deficit understandings of childhood, outdoor and place-based education with their focus on children’s connections to place, and reconfigurations of childhood as natureculture entanglements.