2025/10/01 by Jane Merewether, Mindy Blaise, Stefania Giamminuti · 2 citations
paper · doi:10.1017/aee.2025.10078
published in Australian Journal of Environmental Education 42(3), 685-703 (Cambridge University Press (CUP))
crossref issued 2025/10/01 · crossref published 2025/10/01 · crossref published-online 2025/10/01 · crossref created 2025/10/01 · crossref published-print 2026/07/01 · crossref deposited 2026/08/07 · crossref indexed 2026/08/07
Abstract This article explores young children’s relations with soil, drawing on research that positioned soil as animate, lively and interconnected. The paper investigates how animist approaches offered a mode of encounter for children and their teachers, encouraging them to see themselves as part of a larger ecological community. The research began with a “soil biome immersion” experience where teachers engaged with soil through sensory and arts-based experiences. These initial encounters led to further exploration of child-soil relations through experiential learning and storytelling. Children, as active meaning-makers, co-constructed the inquiry through imaginative and sensory engagements. Findings suggest animism cultivates soil relations, challenging traditional notions of soil as inert and promoting a dynamic understanding of soil ecosystems. Through practices such as storying, drawing and listening, educators supported children’s animist perspectives, deepening their attunement to the more-than-human world. This article contributes to environmental education by demonstrating how animism can enrich children’s ecological awareness and their sense of connectedness to the world.