How to engage children with nature: why not just let them play?

Children's nature experiences are to an increasing degree organized by adults and involve adult's presence. A qualitative study of the Norwegian nationwide Children's Trekking Club explores how children interact with nature through organized events with varying degrees of adult management and planning. The study shows that free and spontaneous play functions as a key to more bodily, emotional and sensuous interaction with nature in contrast to when children are engaged in numerous planned activities. Spontaneous play arises at events where there are fewer participants, in which children are able to stay in one place, when adults take a more relaxed and less intrusive approach, and where there are fewer formally organized activities. To engage children with nature, and raise awareness of play as a spontaneous and child-initiated action would be a positive progression in further developing organized nature events, educational programs, as well as in parenting.