Abstract
Outdoor education contributes to positive youth development. Existing outdoor education in Japan has been conducted only in an “episodic” manner with a “single activity” basis in “imitation nature”, although regular and various activities in “grand nature” have been considered more valuable for the growth of children. Therefore, the purposes of the present study were to develop and practice an outdoor education program that performed a “plural number” of experiences with “multiple activities” in “genuine nature”, and to clarify the availability of the program. For this purpose, the “Buddy Kids Adventure Challenge Program” was developed on the basis of 12 years of practice with the “Buddy Adventure Team (Non-Profit Organization)”. An inventory survey was conducted for 49 participants in the Buddy Kids Adventure Challenge Program and 26 participants′ parents to evaluate the program in 2013. Free descriptive answers for the questions with respect to experiences in the program were descriptively analyzed and a model of the growth of the participants in the Buddy Kids Adventure Challenge Program was generated. As results, self-esteem was increased by developing competence. Additionally, outdoor activities in the program and flow experience were associated. Strong relationship between adverse circumstances and flow experience were also demonstrated. The growth model of the present study showed that desiring pleasure in “grand nature” could allow participants to confront adverse circumstances. These adverse circumstances give participants flow experience and confidence by helping them to overcome adverse circumstances. Finally, self-esteem was increased and growth of participants was enhanced.
