Envıronmental Educatıon And Chıldren’s Ecologıcal Attıtudes: Play-Based Approaches

Abstract

This study investigates the positive impacts of play-based environmental education on children's ecological attitudes and environmental awareness. Findings reveal that engaging children with nature through play significantly improves their environmental behaviors, emphasizing the importance of active and experiential learning over traditional methods. Statistical analysis showed a 30-45% increase in children’s environmental attitude scores after participation in play-based programs. These behavioral improvements also contribute to cognitive, social, and emotional development, fostering empathy and stronger connections with nature. The study highlights the crucial roles of family and school environments in shaping children’s environmental attitudes. Involving families in education enhances the integration of environmentally responsible behaviors into daily life, suggesting that environmental education should adopt a multidimensional approach, including schools, families, and communities. Recommendations include expanding play-based curricula, providing teacher training and resources, encouraging family and community involvement, increasing funding and policy support, utilizing digital tools, and integrating both local and global environmental issues into programs. For future research, the study suggests examining the long-term effects of play-based environmental education, comparing different age groups, developing more comprehensive measurement tools, investigating cultural and socioeconomic impacts, evaluating technology-supported learning, and exploring the relationship between environmental education and psychosocial development. Overall, play-based environmental education emerges as an effective and sustainable strategy to cultivate environmentally conscious behaviors in children, supporting their holistic development and preparing them to address environmental challenges thoughtfully.