‘The toad jumps because he thinks I am lovely’: children’s relatedness with local animals and opportunities for animal interaction in the school yard

Connecting children with nature is a priority on international policy agendas, yet fostering children’s connections with local animals remains challenging for schools. This project aims to support teachers in understanding children’s relationship with local animals and how schoolyards can be used to strengthen these relationships. The study characterizes the relationships children (5–11 year-olds) have with local animals and identifies opportunities for animal interactions in the schoolyard. We interviewed Dutch children (N=110) about their favorite animal and observed their strategies for finding animals in the schoolyard. Thematic analysis revealed three types of connections: ‘wowed by superpowers,’ reflecting fascination with animals’ unique abilities; ‘friendship,’ reflecting emotional bonds; and ‘interdependence,’ characterized by mutual recognition and response. Analyses further showed that children struggled to find animals in the schoolyard. The study offers recommendations for teachers to support children’s naturally developing connections with local animals and to expand opportunities for animal encounters at school.