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Journals / Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences / 2026 / Issue: 1

OWL babies: The impact of an outdoor learning programme on early brain development and parenting skills

Saliha Çetin Sultanoğlu(NHS-Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)0000-0003-1374-2399
Jan Coleman(Early Years Alliance Evelyn Children and Family Centre)
Donna Colby(Early Years Alliance Evelyn Children and Family Centre)
Dawn Wilson-Darke(Early Years Alliance, Lewisham Children and Family Centres, UK)
Jill Harrison(University of Greenwich, Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences, Early Years Studies, UK)
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-06-11
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Results indicated that there was an improvement for all 14 subjects in qualitative and quantitative analysis.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:This study aimed to investigate whether an interaction-based outdoor programme, OWL (Outdoors Whilst Learning) Babies, may give parents a better understanding of brain development, developmental milestones, building healthy attachment skills, and understanding of synaptic connections and their importance during the early years.
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Key Findings & Data:This study carried out with 14 parents and their babies in a quasi-experimental method, one group pre-test, post-test was used in this study.
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Conclusion & Impact:Results indicated that there was an improvement for all 14 subjects in qualitative and quantitative analysis.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Attachment · Baby · Brain development

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate whether an interaction-based outdoor programme, OWL (Outdoors Whilst Learning) Babies, may give parents a better understanding of brain development, developmental milestones, building healthy attachment skills, and understanding of synaptic connections and their importance during the early years. Numerous studies support the advantages of the outdoors for young children. But there is little information on how babies experience the natural environment. This study carried out with 14 parents and their babies in a quasi-experimental method, one group pre-test, post-test was used in this study. The intervention period comprised five weeks of OWL Babies Programme in Lewisham (Borough of London) Children's Centres. The participants were measured before and after the programme by a Likert-type questionnaire; they answered the same questions. In addition to this, participants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Results indicated that there was an improvement for all 14 subjects in qualitative and quantitative analysis. Conclusively, parents' understanding of baby brain development and how to support babies accordingly improved. OWL Babies Programme found to be effective in learning the importance of early brain development and supporting cognitive development accordingly.

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Cite This Article

Sultanoğlu, S. Ç., Coleman, J., Colby, D., Wilson-Darke, D., Harrison, J. (2026). OWL babies: The impact of an outdoor learning programme on early brain development and parenting skills. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences, Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20664874

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