Corporeity and Ecological Awareness: An Experiential Study with Children and Adolescents

Environmental Education (EE) is increasingly relevant in the current context of environmental crises, requiring approaches that integrate Human Ecology (HE) and Environmental Psychology (EP) due to understanding the interdependent relationship between ecological and human systems. This study emphasizes corporeity as a fundamental dimension for reconnecting humans with nature and fostering ecological awareness. The study aimed to develop and evaluate a transdisciplinary intervention project based on bodily experiences with children and adolescents in a Brazilian public school, aiming to improve their connectedness with nature and ecological values. A diagnostic survey was conducted with 103 students aged 10–13 years, including open questions, and two instruments: the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) and the Values for Pre-adolescents scale (EVP). The results indicated that one 5th-grade class, which presented the lowest self-transcendence mean (4.07), was selected for pedagogical interventions. In the second stage, 20 students participated in workshops held in public parks and a school green area, combining sensory awareness and playful activities. The findings suggest that these experiences stimulated pro-environmental attitudes, including group care for nature, protective behaviors, and positive emotions such as peace, happiness, and freedom. Despite the small sample size, the results highlight the importance of strengthening embodied experiences in natural environments, increasing frequency and intensity to support the development of ecological values and deeper connectedness with nature.