‘We Love Nature and Nature Loves Us’: Children’s Observations on their Relationship with the More-than-Human World

Abstract Nature play is gaining momentum in primary schools. However, few studies have actively incorporated children’s voices. Even rarer are articles authored by the children themselves, as academics predominately write these works. This article marks a departure from these trends by sharing the unfiltered reflections of Year One students from a public school in Australia on how a 10 week nature play programme, known as ‘bush school’, impacted their lives. The idea for this article originated from the students themselves. They wanted to share their views to help adults understand how children connect with nature and why nature play is important. Developed over a school term through discussions and feedback loops, this article includes students’ words, drawings, and selected photographs. These media allowed the children to express their innermost thoughts and reflections. Ultimately, their goal is to inspire adults to rethink the design of schools and learning experiences in order to expand nature play opportunities for all children. This article highlights the importance of listening to children to fully understand their lived experience and the true essence of nature play. It also demonstrates how co-authoring articles with children fosters high levels of engagement and ownership.