Attention Restoration Theory suggests that contact with nature supports
attentional functioning, and a number of studies have found contact with everyday
nature to be related to attention in adults. Is contact with everyday nature also
related to the attentional functioning of children? This question was addressed
through a study focusing on children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This
study examined the relationship between children’s nature exposure through leisure
activities and their attentional functioning using both within- and between-subjects
comparisons. Parents were surveyed regarding their child’s attentional functioning
after activities in several settings. Results indicate that children function better than
usual after activities in green settings and that the “greener” a child’s play area, the
less severe his or her attention deficit symptoms. Thus, contact with nature may support
attentional functioning in a population of children who desperately need
attentional support.