Children’s Nature Use and Related Constraints: Nationwide Parental Surveys from Norway in 2013 and 2023

A growing number of research studies show that children spend less time in natural environments, which may have detrimental effects to children`s mental and physical health. This study explores changes in children (6-12 years) nearby nature uses and constraints for not playing in nature between the year of 2013 and 2023. We apply an ecological approach including individual, social, and structural constraints for outdoor play. The study is based on national surveys of parents answering eight categories for different activities and nineteen categories for constraints/motivation. Findings reveal a decreasing tendency for time spent on all activity categories and increasing con-straints for 17 of 19 categories during the study period. Our ecological approach makes it visible that there is less time for children`s nature to use in contemporary society, and activities are more common at built areas than in nature. The survey identifies some important socio-cultural differences regarding gender, age, and residential set-tings. In future research, the focus should be on what kind of effects less connection to nature has on children’s mental and physical health, and beyond this has effects on the understanding and care for nature among future generations.