Engaging Children and Families in Active, Environmental Science Learning through Digital Media

An independent evaluation of an environmental science program that combined digital media with hands-on activities (called "Plum Landing") was conducted in 2020. The study included 32 families with six- to eight-year-old children. The evaluation assessed the extent to which the program was successful at promoting connectedness to nature, specifically through teaching environmental science content and encouraging active nature exploration among participating families. The evaluation found that families spent more time outdoors exploring nature and more time being physically active as a result of using Plum Landing. In addition, children's environmental science content knowledge increased, and parents reported an increase in children's nature-related habits of mind (i.e., questions you need to ask when investigating an ecosystem) after using Plum Landing. Children's interest and attitudes towards outdoor activities were moderate to high at pre-test and did not change over time. Overall, families were very positive about their Plum Landing experience and reported they would continue to use the program and recommend it to other families. This study provided evidence that digital media accompanied by hands-on activities has the potential to support families in learning about and becoming more connected to nature while together at home.