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Nature nurtures: A paper about greenspace and positive child mental health

Sasha Johnston, Parenting Research Centre, Australia, July 2026

Related to Child mental health

Resource Summary

This resource is a summary of Nature nurtures: Greenspace supports positive child mental health and wellbeing, a paper led by the Parenting Research Centre and Emerging Minds.

The paper explores key evidence linking greenspace to child mental health and wellbeing. It calls for a collective approach to ensuring greenspace is part of everyday life for every Australian child. In keeping with this approach, the paper does not offer detailed greenspace design guidance but rather provides a foundation for action across sectors.

Who is the paper for?

Child mental health is everybody’s business. The paper is for policymakers, health and social services practitioners, service managers, organisational leaders, environmental advocates, architects, urban planners, economists, local government decision-makers, and anyone working with (or for) children and families.

Supporting resources

A practitioner guide and posters for both practitioners and families have been created to support the vision and solutions presented in the paper. The full paper, practitioner guide and posters can be accessed using the following links:

Overview

For generations, Australian children have found joy, freedom, and connection in nature. Yet today, many are growing up with fewer opportunities to experience the benefits of time outdoors. Despite growing evidence that greenspace supports children’s mental health and wellbeing, most Australian children are not playing outside daily, and greenspace has declined in most Australian capital cities (Australian Conservation Foundation & Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub, 2021; The Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll, 2022).

Evidence shows that greenspace promotes play, connection, and relaxation, and makes our neighbourhoods healthier places to live (e.g. Christian et al., 2015; Markevych et al., 2017; Putra et al., 2020; World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). As such, it makes sense that greenspace supports positive mental and physical health for children and adults (e.g. Bratman et al., 2019; Caryl et al., 2024; Feng & Astell-Burt, 2017a; Fyfe-Johnson et al., 2021; Gianfredi et al., 2021; WHO, 2016; Yang et al., 2021; Zare Sakhdivi et al., 2023).

Ensuring children can spend time in greenspace is an important part of supporting healthy development. But there are many factors that can get in the way of children and families spending time in nature including:

  • lack of access to greenspace
  • the quality or design of local greenspace
  • the rising cost of living
  • parents’ working hours
  • worries about safety (Christian et al., 2015; Gemmell et al., 2022; Glass & Flemmer, 2024; Planet Ark, 2011; Veitch et al., 2006).

Importantly, some children face more barriers than others. For example, children living in disadvantaged communities have less local greenspace and/or lower quality greenspace than children in higher income areas (Badland et al., 2010; Feng & Astell-Burt, 2017b).

These barriers and inequities reflect the outcomes of planning, development, and investment decisions. When persistent, they restrict children’s access to places that support their mental health and development. At the same time, they represent opportunities to act.

We’re calling for a collective approach to help realise our vision: a future where greenspace is part of everyday life for every Australian child.

This means we’re calling on policymakers, designers, funders, planners, leaders, practitioners, and anyone working with or for children and families to take action now. Together, we can make the benefits of greenspace accessible to every Australian child and family.

Recommended cross-sector solutions

The following solutions highlight practical ways to improve access to greenspace for Australian children and families.

The full paper outlines each of the solutions in more detail, with examples of actions that could be taken across policy, planning, and service settings.

1. Ensure all children have quality greenspace within walking distance of their homes

Addressing inequities in greenspace access is key to ensuring all Australian children can enjoy the mental health and wellbeing benefits of natural spaces.

  • Increase the quality and quantity of greenspace in disadvantaged, urban fringe, and other low-greenery areas.
  • Adopt and implement policies that mandate greenspace requirements in urban planning and development.
  • Make school grounds accessible to the community 24/7.
  • Make education and health care settings greener.

2. Encourage children and families to spend time in greenspace

To experience the full benefits of greenspaces, children and families need to spend time in them. Yet, for many Australian families, time in nature is not part of the rhythm of daily life. Initiatives that make it easy, safe, and enjoyable to spend time in greenspace have an important role to play in promoting positive child mental health and wellbeing.

  • Make greenspaces inclusive, enjoyable, and engaging for children, young people, parents, and grandparents.
  • Make greenspace come alive with things to do, see, and explore.
  • Make it easy and safe for children and families to get to greenspace.
  • Make it easier for families to find time to spend in greenspace.
  • Build time in greenspace into children’s daily activities and routines.
  • Share the benefits of greenspace with children and families.

The graphic at the following link is a visual representation of how these recommended solutions intertwine to realise our vision for a future where greenspace is part of everyday life for every Australian child.

A call to action

The idea that greenspace supports positive mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan is, in some ways, nothing new. It is something we know intuitively – observed in our own lives, or in the lives of those around us. It is something Indigenous peoples across the world have known for millennia: that we are a part of nature, our wellbeing interwoven with, and nurtured by, the places we call home.

But the evidence presented in this paper is a call to action.

We have a collective responsibility to ensure all children can explore, gather, create, imagine, move, and have fun in nature.

Cross-disciplinary action can help make this a reality for Australian children – now and in the future. Which brings us to the question: What can you do to help make greenspace part of daily life for every Australian child?

Read the full paper to find out more about the benefits of greenspace, the barriers facing access, and recommendations for cross-sector solutions to help Australian children and families spend time in greenspace.

  • We are grateful to Professor Hannah Badland, Director, Social Equity Research Centre, RMIT and an ARC Future Fellow (FT230100131), Dr Karen Villanueva, Research Fellow, and Dr Amanda Alderton, Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow, also at the Social Equity Research Centre, RMIT, for their expert review and insightful feedback on an earlier draft of this paper.

     

    We also thank the many professionals and subject matter experts who contributed their perspectives via consultations. Their experience and practical insights informed the recommendations in this paper.

  • Literature search

     

    The search used for the development of this paper was purposive and targeted rather than comprehensive or exhaustive. Systematic search and scoping review processes were not possible with time restrictions and the breadth of topics covered in this paper. A narrative review including good examples of high-quality evidence was deemed feasible. Sources of evidence included in the paper, in order of quality, are umbrella reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, high quality randomised controlled trials, and other research published in peer-reviewed journals. Where empirical literature was sparse, or where relevant, grey literature and policy documents were consulted. Additionally, a snowball search method was used to source relevant publications from identified literature. Electronic databases and Google Scholar were utilised. Titles and abstracts were screened initially; full articles were selected if determined suitable for inclusion.

     

    Consultation

     

    This paper proposes a collaborative approach to promoting child mental health via access to greenspace. To inform our understanding of the priorities, gaps, and opportunities, we consulted with a range of subject matter experts and professionals in nature and health, nature play, landscape architecture, education, psychology, social impact, and public health.

     

    The current evidence

     

    There is a substantial and growing body of evidence supporting a link between greenspace or nature exposure and child health (Fyfe-Johnson et al., 2021). Within this, the evidence is particularly promising for physical activity, cognitive, behavioural, and mental health outcomes (Fyfe-Johnson et al., 2021). The evidence stems from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, urban planning, social geography, public health, environmental epidemiology, environmental science, neuroscience, and more. While this ensures diversity in perspectives, it can also pose challenges. For example, differences in exposure measures can limit comparability across studies (Zare Sakhdivi et al., 2023).

     

    Most studies on greenspace and child health are observational, and cross-sectional design is common. Experimental studies currently represent a smaller portion of the available evidence (Fyfe-Johnson et al., 2021), however, as the field grows, advances in methodologies, technology, and available data sets are fuelling new approaches to studying the link between nature and health (Chomley, 2021). Longitudinal studies, research in low-to-middle income countries, and studies that examine underlying mechanisms would strengthen the current evidence base (Zare Sakhdivi et al., 2023).

     

    Despite the limitations noted, Fyfe-Johnson et al. (2021) – authors of one of the most comprehensive systematic reviews currently available on nature and child health – conclude:

     

    We believe our review warrants pediatricians, public health practitioners, and policy makers claiming a solid and growing body of evidence for policies and practices that promote environmental justice and equitable nature contact for children where they live, play, and learn. (p. 78)

  • Australian Conservation Foundation & Monash Climate Change Communication Hub. (2021). Temperature check: Greening Australia’s warming cities. Australian Conservation Foundation.

     

    Badland, H., Keam, R., Witten, K., Kearns, R., & Mavoa, S. (2010). Examining public open spaces by neighborhood-level walkability and deprivation. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 7(6), 818–824. DOI: 10.1123/jpah.7.6.818.

     

    Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., de Vries, S., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J. J., Hartig, T., Kahn, P. H., Jr., Kuo, M., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Lindahl, T., Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Mitchell, R., Ouyang, Z., Roe, J., … & Daily, G. C. (2019). Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0903.

     

    Caryl, F., McGrorie, P., Olsen, J., & Mitchell, R. (2024). Use of natural environments is associated with reduced inequalities in child mental wellbeing: A cross-sectional analysis using global positioning system (GPS) data. Environmental International, 109, 108847. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108847.

     

    Chomley, F. (2021). Nature for health and wellbeing: A review of the evidence. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.

     

    Christian, H., Zubrick, S., Foster, S., Giles-Corti, B., Bull, F., Wood, L., Knuiman, M., Brinkman, S., Houghton, S., & Boruff, B. (2015). The influence of the neighbourhood physical environment on early childhood health and development: A review and call for research. Health & Place, 33, 25–36. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2015.01.005.

     

    Feng, X., & Astell-Burt, T. (2017a). Do greener areas promote more equitable child health? Health & Place, 46, 267–273. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.05.006.

     

    Feng, X., & Astell-Burt, T. (2017b). Residential green space quantity and quality and child well-being: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 53(5), 616–624. DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.06.035.

     

    Fyfe-Johnson, A., Hazlehurst, M., Perrins, S., Bratman, G., Thomas, R., Garrett, K., Hafferty, K., Cullaz, T. M., Marcuse, E., & Tandon, P. (2021). Nature and children’s health: A systematic review. Pediatrics, 148(4), e2020049155. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-049155.

     

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    Gianfredi, V., Buffoli, M., Rebecchi, A., Croci, R., Oradini-Alacreu, A., Stirparo, G., Marino, A., Odone, A., Capolongo, S., & Signorelli, C. (2021). Association between urban greenspace and health: A systematic review of literature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5137. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105137.

     

    Glass, C., & Flemmer, C. (2024). Evaluating the accessibility and inclusiveness of community playgrounds in Australia for children with disabilities. Disabilities, 4(4), 996–1005. DOI: 10.3390/disabilities4040061.

     

    Markevych, I., Schoierer, J., Hartig, T., Chudnovsky, A., Hystad, P., Dzhambov, A. M., de Vries, S., Triguero-Mas, M., Brauer, M., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., Lupp, G., Richardson, E. A., Astell-Burt, T., Dimitrova, D., Feng, X., Sadeh, M., Standl, M., Heinrich, J., & Fuertes, E. (2017). Exploring pathways linking greenspace to health: Theoretical and methodological guidance. Environmental Research, 158, 301–317. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.06.028.

     

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    Putra, I. G. N. E., Astell-Burt, T., Cliff, D. P., Vella, S. A., John, E. E., & Feng, X. (2020). The relationship between greenspace and prosocial behaviour among children and adolescents: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11(859). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00859.

     

    The Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll. (2022). Australian families: How we play (Poll no. 28). The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.

     

    Veitch, J., Bagley, S., Ball, K., & Salmon, J. (2006). Where do children usually play? A qualitative study of parents’ perceptions of influences on children’s active free-play. Health & Place, 12(4), 383–393. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2005.02.009.

     

    World Health Organization. (2016). Urban green spaces and health: A review of the evidence. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe.

     

    Yang, B. Y., Zhao, T., Hu, L. X., Browning, M. H. E. M., Heinrich, J., Dharmage, S. C., Jalaludin, B., Knibbs, L. D., Liu, X. X., Luo, Y. N., James, P., Li, S., Huang, W. Z., Chen, G., Zeng, X. W., Hu, L. W., Yang, Y., & Dong, G. H. (2021). Greenspace and human health: An umbrella review. The Innovation, 2(3), 100164. DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100164.

     

    Zare Sakhvidi, M. J., Mehrparvar, A. H., Zare Sakhvidi, F., & Dadvand, P. (2023). Greenspace and health, wellbeing, physical activity, and development in children and adolescents: An overview of the systematic reviews. Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, 32, 100445. DOI: 10.1016/j.coesh.2023.100445.

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