Post-COVID nature play: a systematic review of children’s outdoor play and engagement

Abstract

Children’s access to and engagement with the natural environment have changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. As outdoor play and nature-based activities became central to children’s lives during the pandemic, these changes in play behaviours may have profound consequences on their physical, emotional, and social development. This systematic review explores children’s post‑COVID-19 nature play and their engagement with nature-based play environments. This review synthesises studies published between 2020 and 2025 and within major academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ERIC. This search aimed to find research articles on the impact of COVID-19 on children’s outdoor play behaviour, with a particular focus on play in nature, as well as the design and access to such play spaces in a post-COVID world between 2020 and 2025. The systematic review examined how COVID-19 has affected children’s outdoor play behaviour, as well as strategies that have been used to increase nature play post-COVID. The findings emphasise the need for innovative design solutions that promote children’s resilience and social connections.