Fuori, e dentro. Crescere con la natura / Outside, and inside. Growing with nature

This article aims to provide an overview of some theories that report the benefits of children's exposure to natural environments. The reflection allows to investigate the consequences of children's deprivation of natural environments by trying to trace new and different meanings to the practice of outdoor education. The perspectives offered by cognitive neuroscience and the approach to the natural world developed through the paradigm of biophilia are also analyzed from the standpoint of ecological sensitivity. Among the various studies designed to illustrate the benefits of exposure to natural environments, the article examines the Attention Restoration (ART) and Stress Recovery (STR) theories for their importance in a broader scenario related to cognition and emotion regulation.