Do tick-borne diseases affect outdoor teaching in Slovenian preschools?

Abstract

Childhood experiences with nature are decisive for children's wellbeing. The need for outdoor activities has been duly recognized in the preschool curriculum in Slovenia. However, there are some obstacles to this approach--specifically, tick-borne diseases. This study examines the views and experiences of Slovenian preschool teachers (n = 158) with ticks and tick-borne diseases in order to create a safer environment for the further development of outdoor education. The majority of the respondents engage in outdoor teaching once or several times a week. They have very frequent contact with ticks and tick-borne diseases in their professional lives. More than four-fifths of the respondents carry out some tick-prevention measures in preschools, but room for improvement remains. The respondents report rare cases in which parents or guardians have tried to prohibit them from visiting outdoor areas because of tick-borne diseases, and they explain how they dealt with the situation. The attitude of preschool teachers toward ticks and tick-borne diseases did not correlate significantly with the frequency with which they went outdoors in preschools. This study therefore concludes that, despite the objective risks associated with tick-borne diseases, there is still broad consensus among educators and parents on the importance of outdoor education in the early years.