Clover Connections

Parent Guide: Benefits of nature and learning outdoors

Do you remember searching for a four-leaf clover as a child? Perhaps you spent hours sifting through the soft, emerald plants, observing and counting the leaf lobes. Believe it or not, this innocent, yet engaging activity was more than a hunt for a lucky prize; it was an authentic, outdoor learning experience. Opportunities such as this foster cognitive, social-emotional, self-reliance, and wellness development. All of these benefits connect and overlap, similar to the leaves of that four-leaf clover. Additionally, they align with 4-H ideals represented by the clover emblem emblazoned with four Hs, which stand for head, heart, hands, and health.

Why are experiences like this important?

For decades, children have spent less and less time playing and exploring outside, and research shows this shift can negatively impact overall development and well-being (Johnson et al., 2019). However, today’s families have lifestyles and obligations that may make it harder to provide such natural experiences (Louv, 2006). By increasing your child's exposure to free, outdoor play, you can benefit them in several ways, not just now but in the future. Additionally, parents may have more fears of outdoor and free play than past generations.

Studies show there are actions parents and caregivers can take to restore these nature-play opportunities and make a real impact for children. To help illustrate this, let’s examine these benefits in terms of those connected clover leaves, or categories; they are Head (cognitive), Heart (social-emotional), Hands (self-reliance), and Health (wellness).

HEAD | Cognitive

Foster free play

Childhood represents important periods of brain development, and believe it or not, playtime plays a vital role. Help boost cognitive skills and academic performance, as well as mood and sense of self, by reinforcing free play and outdoor activities.

Strategies: Let Loose | Take Back Time

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HEART | Social-emotional

Nurture nature appreciation

Nature experiences grow social skills and increase emotional intelligence, which are valuable assets at any age. Help children learn to respect the environment and other living things, as well as themselves, peers, and adults.

Strategies: Welcome Wild | Look to Life

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HANDS | Self-reliance

Get hands on and offline

Getting outdoors facilitates numerous opportunities for children and families to explore, discover, and engage with their surroundings, while it also provides valuable ways to build confidence, independence, and personal growth over time.

Strategies: Bless the Mess | Inspire Independence

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HEALTH | Wellness

Grow wellness inside and out

All parents naturally wish for their children to be happy and healthy. By participating in outdoor play and exploring the environment, children can grow physically stronger and build mental resilience, while also learning to connect with the world around them.

Strategies: Go with Gardening | Quiet the chaos

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Resources

Tools and trips to help you on your journey!

Activities for at home

Gardening activities:

Garden in a Glove | Grades 1-5 | CLOVER by 4-H
Grow your own Microgreens | Grades 3-8 | CLOVER by 4-H
Gardening at Home: Activity Guide | Grades 3-8 | 4-H at Home
Soil Layer Cake | Illinois 4-H
Sprouting Seeds | Grades 2-4 | Illinois 4-H

Nature activities:

Build a Nest for Native Bees | Grade 2-8 | CLOVER by 4-H
Heading in the Right Direction | Illinois 4-H
Hula Hoop Observations | National Geographic Kids
Leaf and Bark Art | Grades K-3 | Illinois 4-H
Make an Underwater Scope | National Geographic Kids
Wild in your own Backyard | Illinois 4-H

Seasonal activities:

Fall Activity Guide | The Nature Conservancy
Spring Activity Guide | The Nature Conservancy
Summer Activity Guide | The Nature Conservancy
Winter Activity Guide | The Nature Conservancy

Weather activities:

Cloud Gazing | Florida Museum
Stories in the Clouds | University of Alaska, Museum of the North

Places to explore near you

Forest Preserves:

DuPage County Forest Preserve | Multiple locations
Kane County Forest Preserve | Multiple locations
Kendall County Forest Preserve | Multiple locations

Local Wildlife Centers:

Cosley Zoo | Wheaton
DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center | Glen Ellyn
Phillips Park Zoo | Aurora

Natural Areas and Gardens:

Chicago Botanic Garden | Cook County
Conservation Foundation | Multiple locations
Illinois State Parks: Northeastern Region | Multiple locations
Morton Arboretum | Lisle
Peck Farm - Geneva Park District | Geneva
Waterfall Glen | Darien

Nature centers, classes, and camps

DuPage County:

Cosley Zoo | Wheaton
DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center | Glen Ellyn
Forest Preserve District Learning Centers | Wheaton and surrounding areas
Mighty Acorns - The Conservation Foundation | DuPage County
Morton Arboretum - Children and Family Programs | Lisle

Kane County:

Creek Bend Nature Center | St. Charles
Hickory Knolls Discovery Center - St. Charles Park District | St. Charles
Mighty Acorns - The Conservation Foundation | Kane County
Peck Farm - Geneva Park District | Geneva
Phillips Park Zoo | Aurora
Primrose Farm - St. Charles Park District | St. Charles

Kendall County:

Kendall County Outdoor Education Center | Yorkville
Natural Beginnings Early Learning Program | Yorkville
Spring Break: 4-H Outdoor Skills Series | Yorkville

Family project ideas

Build a fort | Metro Parks of Central Ohio
Consider a mud kitchen | NC State University
Identify Birds | Illinois 4-H (video series)
Plan a day hike | Illinois 4-H (video tutorial)
Start a garden to fit your space | University of Illinois Extension

4-H projects to explore

Explore your interests in natural resources:

Connected projects to consider:

Sources

Bibliography

Berk, L. (2006). Child Development, Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Burdette, H., Whitaker, R. (2005). Resurrecting free play in young children: Looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect. Archives Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 159, 46-50. DOI: doi:10.1001/archpedi.159.1.46

Chawla, L., & Derr, V. (2012). The development of conservation behaviors in childhood and youth. In S. D. Clayton (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology (pp. 527–555). Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199733026.013.0028.

Faber Taylor, A., & Kuo, F. E. (2009). Children with attention deficits concentrate better after walk in the park. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12, 402-409. DOI: 10.1177/1087054708323000

Gray, P., Lancy, D., Bjorklund, D. (2023). Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children's Mental Well-being: Summary of the evidence. The Journal of Pediatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.02.004

Johnson SA, Snow S, Lawrence MA and Rainham DGC (2019). Quasi-Randomized Trial of Contact With Nature and Effects on Attention in Children. Front. Psychol. 10:2652. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02652

Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefit of Nature. Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, 169–182.

Kaplan, R., Kaplan, S., Ryan, R. (1998). With people in mind: Design and management of everyday nature. Wash. DC: Island Press.

Kuo, M., Barnes, M., & Jordan, C. (2019). Do Experiences With Nature Promote Learning? Converging Evidence of a Cause-and-Effect Relationship. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 305. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00305

London School of Childcare Studies. (2024, October 8). How animals enhance emotional development in children. London School of Childcare Studies. https://childcarestudies.co.uk/blog/how-animals-enhance-emotional-development-in-children/

Louv, R. (2024, January 12). Greening Democracy: The Transformative Power of Nature on Children and Society. MIT Press Reader. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-transformative-power-of-nature-on-children-and-society/Links to an external site.

Louv, R. (2006). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books.

Muldoon, J. C., Williams, J. M., & Lawrence, A. (2014). ‘Mum cleaned it and I just played with it’: Children’s perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in the care of Family Pets. Childhood, 22(2), 201–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/0907568214524457

Myers OE Jr, Saunders CD (2002) Animals as links toward developing caring relationships with the natural world. In: Kahn PH, Kellert SR (eds) Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 153–178.

Ohly, H., Gentry, S., Wigglesworth, R. et al. 2016. A systematic review of the health and well-being impacts of school gardening: Synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence. BMC Public Health, 16: 286. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-2941-0

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PEER Associates, Powers, A.L. (2017). Forest days case studies: Hartland elementary, VT; Ludlow elementary, VT; Mount Lebanon elementary, NH. Retrieved from https://naturalstart.org/sites/default/files/staff/forest_days_case_study_2017_full.pdf

Sobel, D. (1993). Children’s special places: Exploring the role of forts, dens, and bush houses in middle childhood. Great Barrington, MA: Orion Monograph.

Sobel, D. (2008) "Global Climate Change meets Ecophobia" Childhood and Nature, Portland, ME: Stenhouse. https://earthtosky.org/content/course-content/Showcase/Sara-Weisberg-Smith/Sobel_Climate_Change_meets_Ecophobia.pdf

Solomon, J. (2025, December 17). State of play 2025: Annual Report on Trends in Youth Sports. Project Play. https://projectplay.org/state-of-play-2025/participation-trends

Wells, N. & Lekies, K. (2006). Nature and the Life Course: Pathways from Childhood Nature Experiences to Adult Environmentalism. Children, Youth and Environments, 16(1), 1-24.

Williams, D., Brule, H., Kelley, S., & E. Skinner (2018). Science in the learning gardens (SciLG): A study of students’ motivation, achievement, and science identity in low income middle schools. International Journal of STEM Education, 5, 8. doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0104-9