Co-creation of a school outdoor multi-sensory nature and art space to enhance the well-being of children
Author
Abstract
Co-creation of a school outdoor multi-sensory nature and art space to enhance the well-being of children
There are increasing concerns about children’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health and an urgent need for research that identifies how to support children’s well-being. Most children spend considerable time in formal educational environments. However limited consideration has been provided to how space outside of the classroom at schools might enhance children’s well-being. This study explores how researcher and student co-creation of an outdoor multi-sensory nature and art space, might enhance the well-being of participants in a boy’s private school in Brisbane. It builds on previous transpersonal participatory action research, by examining how art making, art and nature exposure, multi-sensory placemaking, and social interaction, can support positive health in children within a school environment. A combination of qualitative studies such as questionnaires, interviews, drawings, and designs, investigate how artists pedagogues of their nature-based art and design practice can positively influence well-being, what aspects of the co-creation process including social connection can enhance the well-being of students, whether place-making and artmaking can have a positive impact, and how nature and art exposure can work together to enhance well-being in a multi-sensory outdoor environment. The findings indicate that a complex inter-relationship between many of these factors contribute to enhanced well-being within a school environment, but social connection, self-determination and agency are very important contributors.