Exploring Nature-Based Education: The Impact on Preschool Children’s Scientific Process Skills and Creativity

This study explores the relationship between creativity and scientific process skills in preschool children participating in nature-based education. The aim of the study is to examine the connection between these two variables within a nature-based learning environment, using the relational screening model. The sample comprises 34 preschool children, aged 4 to 5 years, selected through purposive sampling from a kindergarten in Konya, Turkey, which implements a nature-based curriculum. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Scientific Process Skills Test (SPS), developed by Kavak (2021), which includes 26 items assessing three key sub dimensions of scientific process skills; and the Early Childhood Creativity Scale (ECCS), adapted for Turkish culture by Yıldız Çiçekler, Alakoç Pirpir, and Aral (2020). The ECCS consists of 12 items evaluated with a 7-point Likert scale. The findings indicate that nature-based education positively influences both creative and scientific thinking processes in preschool children, suggesting that such educational approaches foster the development of these skills in tandem.