Educationdive.com: Green spaces boost kids' memories & attentiveness

Originally posted at: Educationdive.com





Study: Green spaces boost kids' memories, attentiveness

By Allie Gross | June 17, 2015

Dive Brief:
•A study in the journal PNAS has found that significant exposure to green spaces can lead to a 5% spike in the development of a child's working memory and a 1% decrease in inattentiveness. •The findings have broad implications for schools and incentivize the creation of green spaces on school campuses. •Researchers zeroed in on 2,593 primary school children from 7 to 10 years old in Barcelona, and found a correlation between those who spent significant time around green spaces and who had decreased inattentiveness and improved working memory.

Dive Insight:

The study also found that students who spend more time in green spaces are likely to have increased physical activity. Green spaces help mitigate the effects of air pollution, can help lower stress levels and block city noises. All of these things facilitate learning and overall better health. Recognizing that many schools are in urban areas, the report aims to "provide policymakers with evidence for feasible and achievable targeted interventions such as improving green spaces at schools."

While there have been previous studies connecting green spaces to mental and physical health, Time reports that this is the first that points to the development of the brain.

Recommended Reading

PNAS: Green spaces and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren
The Atlantic: Green Spaces Make Kids Smarter
Time: Green Spaces at School May Help Kids’ Brains