In a study of roughly 12,000 U.S. children, those living closer to tree canopy and parks tended to do better on tests of attention. The finding, from psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis, gives new support to the idea that natural spaces may help the mind recover from the demands of focusing.
Attention is needed for tasks like listening in class, finishing schoolwork and ignoring distractions. Researchers call the strain that builds up from having to focus “directed attention fatigue.” Earlier studies have linked time in gardens, parks and other natural settings with stronger attention and memory, but results have not always been the same. The Washington University team set out to test the link in a large group of children and account for other factors that could shape test performance.
The researchers used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, known as ABCD, which follows about 12,000 children across the United States as they grow. The children had a median age of 10. They completed performance-based assessments, including measures of directed attention and intelligence.
To estimate how much nature children could reach near home, the team created a measure based on the average share of tree canopy and park cover in each child’s census tract, a small area used to collect population data. Children with greater proximity to green space performed better on objective attention assessments, lead author Carina Fowler said. The results also pointed to the value of tree cover and parks in particular: a plain patch of grass may not offer the same benefits.
The team’s analysis took account of several possible influences, including household income, an ADHD diagnosis, children’s sense of safety in green spaces and social media use. The researchers also examined whether physical activity or air quality might help explain the pattern. They found a connection with air quality, but not with physical activity. That suggests cleaner air may explain part of the link, though the study does not establish that green space directly causes better attention.
The findings fit attention restoration theory, which proposes that nature can hold a person’s interest without demanding intense effort. A tree-lined path or park may give the mind something gentle to notice while leaving room for thoughts to wander. Fowler said people may find this balance more helpful than sitting in a quiet, empty room, where there is little to occupy the mind.
The study, published in Environment International, adds evidence that the design of children’s neighborhoods may matter for more than recreation. Nearby parks and tree cover could be part of an environment that supports attention as children learn and grow. Researchers still have questions about which features of green spaces matter most and how the brain responds. For now, the results point to a practical place to keep looking: the trees and parks close to home.