What can drawings tell us about children’s perceptions of nature?

The growing disconnect between children and nature has led to concerns around the attrition of ecological knowledge, reduced opportunities for developing a connection with nature at a young age and the associated potential of waning support for future conservation. Understanding perceptions of the natural world among children is vital to engage them with local wildlife and mitigate the growing disconnect between children and nature. This study investigated children’s perceptions of nature by analysing drawings made by children of their local green spaces.
We collected 401 drawings by children aged 7–11 years, from 12 different primary schools (including state-funded and privately funded schools) in England, and assessed which animal and plant groups were drawn the most and least often. We quantified the species richness and community composition of each drawing and identified all terms used in the labels and captions to the highest level of taxonomic resolution possible. We estimated th..., ,