Engineering habits of mind in preschool children at Scottish forest nurseries and Australian bush kinders

Abstract

Nature-based learning environments for early childhood are expanding, as is research into their affordances and pedagogies. Engineering in these environments is not well studied. Previous work considered engineering experiences through the lens of ‘designerly play’, finding that natural materials, the space for larger creations and constructions, the altered group dynamics and less gendered environments, promote engineering play. Other engineering frameworks have not been applied. In this study, we have identified ways in which preschool-aged children engage with Engineering Habits of Mind while at forest nursery and bush kinder. Ethnographic and video data from two Scottish forest nurseries and two Australian bush kinders have been collected and with our vignettes, we have shown that young children readily engage with all six Engineering Habits of Mind in a variety of different play scenarios when in natural learning environments. As well as demonstrating the benefits of forest nursery and bush kinder to young children's engineering learning, our examples can be used to guide educators looking for ways to increase engineering play in other learning contexts.