Interviews
A selection of interviews with David
The World’s Leading Expert on Forts
momfidence
Has your kid ever built a fort out of sofa cushions and blankets? Or made a secret den from branches and bushes? A snow fort? Maybe you used to do it too. Remember how great it felt to make up your own rules and have your own secret space? You were probably having too much fun to know how much good it was doing you. Creating secret forts, dens, hideouts, and playhouses isn’t just any random kind of play. It’s a universal drive that’s rooted in kids’ healthy development, says educator David Sobel of Antioch University New England—the man who’s studied this behavior more than anyone.
Professor David Sobel is Otterly Delightful
The Nature magic Podcast
Mary Bermingham interviews David Sobel as part of her podcast series on nature educators. This interview investigates David’s deep connection with nature and how he believes we can foster the innate spiritual connection that children have with the natural world and how this benefits humanity and our planet.
Place-Based Education: An Interview with David Sobel
Disconnect: The Outdoor Education Podcast
Joël Charrière interviews David about place-based education and more.
A Conversation with David Sobel
The Worldwatch Institute
Erik Assadourian from the Worldwatch Institute interviews David about the value of nature preschools, how to improve them, and strategies to scale them up.
An Interview with David Sobel
Puddle Patter from Stramash Social Enterprise
Cameron Sprague interviews David about the outdoor, nature play movement. Here is a guide to the topics covered in the interview and their corresponding time stamps…
1:50 - Childhood in nature design principles for early educators. David’s book. The research behind the book
5:20 - Using the nature design principles with younger children (under 5’s). How to use the principles to provide these natural innate play opportunities for children
7:20 - Identification charts—does being able to ‘name something’ matter? What is the process of connection and learning?
14:00 - Animal allies and empathy—challenges and barriers to our connection with animals and why it’s important
20:00 - Knowledge attitudes and behaviors. The study that looked at the relationship between early childhood play experiences and environmental behaviors in adulthood. Types of wild play and play worlds created by children in nature
32:00 - 10 years since David’s book came out, does he think we’re making strides in the right direction for children's connection to nature? Pandemic effects on outdoor learning in the states
35:00 - David’s son and his relationship to Fire. Risky play and practitioner/playworker response to risky play. Stories on ‘tolerating safe danger’
46:00 David’s thoughts on what an ideal preschool setting should be like. Shout out to our Pals at Highway Farm!