Exploring the Impact of Biophilic Design Interventions on Children’s Engagement with Natural Elements

Huizi Deng, Muhammad Azzam Ismail () and Raha Sulaiman
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Huizi Deng: Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
Muhammad Azzam Ismail: Healthy and Sustainable Built Environment Research Center (HSBERC), College of Architecture, Art and Design, Ajman University, Ajman P.O. Box 346, United Arab Emirates
Raha Sulaiman: Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-24

Abstract: Early childhood education is crucial in the development of a learned society. However, existing early childhood education focuses on languages, numbers, cultural and social interactions without much emphasis on the importance of the natural environment. Therefore, this study investigates the integration of biophilic design (BD) elements in kindergarten environments and their impact on early childhood environmental education (ECEE). Focusing on four kindergartens, the research examines how biophilic features influence children’s engagement with natural elements and their development. Utilizing a robust methodological framework, the study employs both observations and quantitative analysis using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. The findings reveal that BD significantly enhances children’s interactions with natural terms, suggesting deeper cognitive connections with the natural world. Enhancements in children’s engagement with natural elements were most pronounced in kindergartens that implemented comprehensive and strategically placed biophilic elements. However, the effectiveness varied across settings, underscoring the importance of contextual and environmental factors in the design and implementation of biophilic principles. The study underscores the potential of BD to foster environmental awareness, cognitive and emotional development among children, advocating for its broader application in educational settings to promote sustainable environmental behaviors from an early age.

Keywords: early childhood environmental education (ECEE); biophilic design (BD); interventional observations; biophilia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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