Project Highlight: Every Kid Outdoors
Explore the research briefs created for the Division of Outdoor Recreation’s Every Kid Outdoors initiative and explore the ways Nature and Human Health Utah supports programming through research.
Division of Outdoor Recreation- Every Kid Outdoors Program
Research & Evidence Brief Series
In support of the Division of Outdoor Recreation’s Every Kid Outdoors initiative, our team developed four comprehensive research briefs examining the impact of nature engagement across developmental stages and community contexts. Each brief synthesized peer-reviewed research from education, public health, child development, and environmental studies to provide clear, actionable guidance for practitioners and policymakers.
The series included:
Nature’s Impact on Primary School Students, highlighting connections between outdoor learning and improved attention, academic performance, and social-emotional development.
Nature-Based Play in Early Childhood, examining how outdoor play supports physical health, self-regulation, creativity, and early learning outcomes.
Nature’s Impact on Adolescent Health, exploring links between nature engagement and mental health, resilience, and identity development.
The Benefits of Nature-Based Community Programming, outlining how outdoor initiatives strengthen public health, social cohesion, and community well-being.
Together, these evidence-based resources provide a developmentally aligned framework to support equitable access to nature and inform program design, policy development, and cross-sector collaboration.
Other research on nature and youth
Explore evidence-based research and articles on how time in nature supports youth mental health, focus, learning, physical activity, and resilience
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Author: Vanaken and Danckaerts, 2018
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Author: Preuß et al., 2019
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Author: Li et al., 2018
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Author: Cormell and Ivey, 2012
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Author: Sharma, 2025
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Author: Largo-Wight, et al., 2018
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Author: Tillmann et al., 2018
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Authors: Edmond P. Bowers, Lincoln R. Larson, Benjamin J. Parry
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Author: Astrid N. Zamora, Marika E. Waselewski, Abby J. Frank, Jack R. Nawrocki, Aspen R. Hanson & Tammy Chang
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Authors: Lincoln R. Larson, Rachel Szczytko, Myron F. Floyd
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Authors: Carolyn R. Bates, Amy M. Bohnert, Dana E. Gerstein
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Author: Bikomeye, 2021
Other Tools and Resources:
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