A new study published in the Journal of Children, Youth Environments looked at the role of family residence green spaces and household chaos on children’s executive function.
“This study explores how the amount of green space and interactive items around where families live, and how chaotic or calm a household feels, might shape the development of young children’s executive function,” study author Samantha J. Iwinski told us.
Executive function refers to critical skills like self-control, working memory, and flexible thinking. The researchers wanted to understand whether early access to green spaces could influence home environments and support healthy brain development.
“Drawing from prior research, I anticipated that families with more green space around their homes, like grass, gardens, or nearby trees, would likely see positive effects on their children’s executive function as they grow, particularly when the household environment is less chaotic,” Iwinski told us. “We also thought that having accessible or well-designed outdoor areas could help families develop routines and reduce household disorder, making day-to-day life feel more stable for children.”
To frame their approach, the researchers leaned on ecological systems theory and attention restoration theory, and they also applied the Family-Based Nature Activities framework, which connects the benefits of nature with everyday family routines and rituals.
“I am passionate about the intersection of child development, family dynamics, and environmental factors,” Iwinski told us. “Nature exposure is known to benefit mental health and cognitive development. However, there is still so much we do not know about how spaces outside our homes impact everyday family life and children’s early skills. This study grew from that curiosity and a desire to inform family-friendly community design and policy.”
The researchers used a longitudinal approach, following nearly 500 families over five years. They measured household chaos through questionnaires and coded green space near each family’s home using satellite images taken before the children turned two. Parents completed surveys about their child’s executive function when they were two, four, and five years old. The researchers then analyzed how these factors were linked over time.
“Some findings confirmed what we expected, higher household chaos was consistently linked to weaker cold and hot executive function simultaneously,” Iwinski told us. “Certain green space features, like outdoor sitting areas, sandboxes, and living near a farm, were connected to better outcomes at certain ages.”
The researchers also found some unexpected results. For example, having a garden was sometimes associated with poorer cold executive function, which they did not anticipate and think needs more research to explain fully.
“I was both reassured and surprised with the results,” Iwinski told us. « It was reassuring to see clear links between household chaos and executive function, as that aligns with prior research.”
However, the unexpected associations, like some green features not always being beneficial, highlight how complex these relationships are. They suggest that not just the presence of green space but how families use it matters.
“These findings underline the importance of creating family environments that feel stable and calm,” Iwinski told us. “They also suggest that policies promoting access to usable green spaces near the home can support children’s early development. There is much potential for future research to dig deeper into how families actually use these spaces and how design and community planning can help families thrive.”
Supporting children’s development is truly about the bigger system, including the home, neighborhood, and broader policies that help families access safe, nurturing spaces, Iwinski further explained.
“I hope this research sparks more conversations about the everyday environments children grow up in and how we can work together to make them more supportive, equitable, and green.”