NatureCollections

Researchers: Josh Lawler, Katie Davis

We know that our time spent outside in nature influences the way we feel about, and the way we behave towards, nature. But kids are spending less and less time outside. As children’s screen time has increased, the time they spend outdoors in nature has decreased. In light of this growing disconnect between technology and outdoor experiences, a mobile app may seem an unlikely candidate for getting kids outside and changing their relationships with nature. That is, however, exactly what we aim to do!

A team of researchers at the University of Washington has developed a mobile app, called NatureCollections, that seeks to harness the power of emerging technologies to engage elementary school children in an exploration of the natural world. Leveraging kids’ love for collecting things (stickers, baseball cards, shells, etc.), NatureCollections Beta lets kids take pictures of nature, and curate their photos in categories such as plants, birds, and landscapes. Children using the app are encouraged to go outside and explore their natural surroundings. NatureCollections is a winner of the University of Washington’s 2017 Innovation Award.

Related Articles

• NatureCollections Mobile App Realizes Results in the Wild (June 2021)
• When Screen Time Isn’t Screen Time: Tensions and Needs Between Tweens and Their Parents During Nature-Based Exploration (May 2021)
• UW Researchers Design Nature App for Young Children (Apr 7, 2021)
• “Otter this World”: Can a Mobile Application Promote Children’s Connectedness to Nature? (June 2020)
• Sparking Interest: A Design Framework for Mobile Technologies to Promote Children’s Interest in Nature (June 2019)
• App Builds a Natural Connection (November 2018)
• Co-Engagement with the Natural World through an Interactive Mobile Application (2017)