Promoting children's mental, emotional and social health through contact with nature: A model

There is a large body of literature indicating substantial benefits for health and wellbeing are to be derived from contact with nature and exposure to natural environments generally (e.g. Health Council of the Netherlands, 2004; Maller et al., 2006; Rohde and Kendle, 1994). The majority of benefits reported relate to mental health and wellbeing, and include among other outcomes, stress reduction, improving the ability to concentrate, alleviating the effects of depression, and improving self-esteem (Frumkin, 2001; Prosser et al., 2008; Rohde and Kendle, 1994; Seymour, 2003). To date however, most research on contact with nature has concerned adults rather than children.