Green spaces have a major impact on child development – Earth.com

Report on the Impact of Domestic Green Spaces on Early Childhood Development and Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A recent study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides critical evidence linking children’s access to small-scale, domestic green spaces with enhanced cognitive development. The research, part of the STRONG Kids2 project, demonstrates that features such as trees, sandboxes, and porches at home significantly improve executive function in preschoolers. These findings have profound implications for achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning health, education, and sustainable communities.

Key Research Findings: The Link Between Nature and Cognitive Function

Methodology

The study integrated satellite imagery from Google Earth with longitudinal data from parent surveys and home visits for 435 households. Researchers tracked families from infancy to kindergarten to analyze how environmental factors at home influence the development of executive function (EF) in early childhood.

Impact on Executive Function and Household Environment

Executive function, comprising cognitive and emotional self-regulation skills, was shown to be directly influenced by the immediate natural environment. Key findings include:

• Enhanced “Cold” Executive Function: Access to trees, a sandbox, or outdoor storage before the age of two was correlated with stronger “cold” EF skills (e.g., concentration, attention, following directions) by age four. These elements provide opportunities for sensory interaction and natural play.
• Improved “Hot” Executive Function: Children raised in homes with porches or on farms demonstrated better “hot” EF skills (e.g., emotional control, delaying gratification). These spaces facilitate social interaction and connection, contributing to emotional regulation.
• Reduced Household Chaos: Families with greater access to lush vegetation reported lower levels of household chaos, including more predictable routines and less stress. Outdoor time serves as a restorative tool for both children and adults.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The study directly supports Target 3.4, which aims to promote mental health and well-being. By fostering crucial self-regulation skills and reducing household stress, access to nature provides a foundational element for lifelong mental and emotional health for children and their caregivers.

SDG 4: Quality Education

The development of strong executive function is a prerequisite for academic success. The findings align with Target 4.2, which seeks to ensure all children have access to quality early childhood development. Children with better focus and impulse control are better prepared for formal schooling, highlighting nature access as a key component of early educational readiness.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

This research underscores the importance of Target 11.7: providing universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible green and public spaces. The study proves that even “tiny slivers of nature” at the household level contribute significantly to well-being, advocating for the integration of green micro-spaces like pocket parks, community gardens, and tree-lined streets into urban planning.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The report highlights a “green space gap,” noting that children in low-income communities often have the least access to nature, creating a developmental disadvantage. Addressing this disparity is essential for achieving SDG 10. Policies that ensure equitable distribution of green spaces are critical for providing all children with the opportunity to thrive.

Policy and Practical Recommendations for SDG Advancement

Urban Planning and Policy Interventions

To leverage these findings for public benefit and advance the SDGs, the following actions are recommended:

1. Implement policies that mandate the inclusion of green spaces, such as community gardens and pocket parks, in underserved residential areas to address the “green space gap” (SDG 10, SDG 11).
2. Encourage urban planners and developers to integrate natural playscapes and vegetation into all new housing projects.
3. Ensure that public outdoor environments are designed to be safe, welcoming, and accessible to everyone.

Recommendations for Caregivers and Educators

Families and schools can take immediate steps to foster these developmental benefits:

• Parents can intentionally incorporate outdoor time into daily routines, using natural elements for play and interaction to support their child’s cognitive growth (SDG 3, SDG 4).
• Educators can enhance school grounds with natural features like raised garden beds or log seating and utilize outdoor recess to improve classroom attention.
• Outdoor activities should be promoted as a means of mental health restoration for the entire family unit.

Conclusion

The research provides compelling evidence that proximate nature is a critical component of healthy child development. The connection between green space, executive function, and household calm establishes a clear pathway for using environmental design as a low-cost, high-impact tool for public health. By prioritizing equitable access to nature, from private yards to public parks, policymakers, communities, and families can collectively advance the Sustainable Development Goals and cultivate healthier, more resilient future generations.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Identified SDG Targets

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being. The article directly connects exposure to nature with improved mental and cognitive health in children. It states that green spaces can “nudge children toward stronger self-control” and build “executive function (EF).” It also mentions that outdoor activities “promote mental health and restoration for everyone,” including parents, by creating “calmer homes” with less stress.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The article suggests that access to nature improves skills essential for learning. It found that children with access to trees or a sandbox showed a “greater ability to concentrate and follow directions.” It explicitly recommends that “Educators can extend the lesson by dotting school grounds with raised beds or movable log slices” and notes that “Even a short recess under a tree canopy may sharpen attention back in the classroom,” linking physical school environments to effective learning.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… economic or other status. The article highlights a “green space gap,” stating that “children in low-income families have the most nature deprivation.” It calls for action to address this disparity by recommending the implementation of “policies that help underserved communities to have more green space” and ensuring that everyone feels “welcome and safe in outdoor environments,” directly addressing inequality in access to these beneficial resources.

4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.7: Provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children. The entire study focuses on the importance of accessible green space “just beyond the front door.” The research investigates how “nearby outdoor elements” like trees, lawns, and sandboxes impact children. The article explicitly advocates for creating more green spaces where they are lacking, suggesting “Pocket parks, community gardens, and traffic-calmed streets could provide small pockets of green space for children where private yards are scarce.” This directly aligns with the goal of providing universal access to green public spaces, especially for children.

Mentioned or Implied Indicators

1. Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

   • Measurement of executive function (EF) in children: The study measured toddlers’ “cold” executive skills (attention, planning) and “hot” skills (emotion management) to assess cognitive health.
   • Surveys on household chaos: The researchers “gauged household order – or chaos – through questions on noise, routines, and crowding” to measure the stress level and calmness of the home environment.

2. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities…

   • Measurement of concentration and ability to follow directions: The article implies this indicator by stating that children with access to green features “showed greater ability to concentrate and follow directions when tested two years later.”
   • Presence of natural elements in school grounds: The article suggests tracking the implementation of features like “raised beds or movable log slices” in school environments as a measure of progress.

3. Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social… inclusion of all…

   • Analysis of green space distribution by income level: The article points to this indicator by citing research that “shows that children in low-income families have the most nature deprivation.” This disparity can be measured to track inequality.

4. Target 11.7: Provide universal access to… green and public spaces…

   • Satellite mapping of green features at households: The study used “Google Earth images [to pinpoint] trees, lawns, sandboxes, decks, and outdoor storage at 435 households,” demonstrating a direct method for measuring access to small-scale green spaces.
   • Proportion of households with access to specific outdoor features: The findings are based on whether households had features like trees, a sandbox, or a porch, which serves as a direct indicator of access.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: earth.com