Bringing Babies Back to Nature: A Froebelian Approach to Outdoor Learning

In the first instalment of this series, Dr Jo Josephidou, Dr Nicola Kemp and Polly Bolshaw introduce babyNENE, a Froebelian-inspired nature pedagogy developed to transform how early years practitioners approach outdoor learning with babies. Drawing on Friedrich Froebel's philosophy of education, the framework encourages professionals to critically reflect on their practice and create meaningful opportunities for children from birth to age two to connect with the natural world. The article explores how traditional indoor-focused provision often limits babies' sensory experiences and physical development, arguing that the youngest children benefit profoundly from time spent outdoors. By applying Froebelian principles—particularly the concept of unity between the child and their environment—the babyNENE approach supports practitioners in overcoming common barriers to outdoor provision for non-mobile and newly mobile infants, ensuring that nature becomes an integral part of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This work comes at a critical time for Early Years policy, as local authorities and nursery providers across the country seek to improve developmental outcomes whilst managing tight budgets. The researchers emphasise that enabling babies to experience nature is not simply about access to outdoor space, but requires a fundamental shift in how educators view the capabilities and rights of very young children to explore, wonder and learn in natural settings.