Children in Wild Nature: A practical guide to nature-based practice

There is a growing realisation that children benefit by being involved in 'wild' spaces. They need dynamic and complex outdoor environments and opportunities for risk and challenge, to play with abandon, to have first-hand experiences - places where there is adventure, delight, laughter, daring and joy.

Children in Wild Nature shows it takes richly resourced, vibrant environments for learners to be all they can possibly be, and this has everything to do with connection to the natural world. It is a complex interplay between people, places and things that nurture children's capacity to learn. Teachers and educators who understand the way children are drawn into learning through dispositions such as curiosity, persisting with things that interest them and then, with effort and practice, build their knowledge and skills, and realise the emotional nature of learning.

Niki Buchan is CEO and owner of Natural Learning Educational Consultancy. She has lived and worked in South Africa, Australia and is now based in Scotland. She works internationally as a conference keynote speaker, nature pedagogue, mentor and author having been invited to work in Australia, UK, USA, Canada, Iceland, Sweden, South Korea, China, Norway, Denmark and South Africa. She has developed a reputation as a strong advocate for children's right to a high-quality childhood with a deep concern about children's mental health and trauma.

Niki trusts children as being capable and competent, respects their ability to know what they need for their development including assessing and taking risks. She has a great love for the outdoors and has been working with both adults and young children in very consultative, naturalistic and sensorial environments both indoors and outdoors for more than 40 years. She believes children have a right to regular access to nature and to have their voices heard in matters that affect them.