Natural Play: A Smart Exploratory Greenhouse- Inspired Nursery

Author First name, Last name, Institution

• Aisha Lihwaidi, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Alia Ahli, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Fatma Alsuwaidi, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Eman Alnajjar, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Zeina Hojeij, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi CampusFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Source of Publication

Impacts of Capstone Projects for Future Ready Graduates Design Implementation and Evaluation

Publication Date

6-18-2026

Abstract

This capstone project introduces Natural Play, an early childhood education model combining biophilic design and smart technology to support holistic development in the UAE. Rooted in evidence on nature’s cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits, it tackles challenges of rigid nurseries, extreme climate, and parental safety concerns. Natural Play recreates sensory-rich environments in climate-controlled greenhouses with native plants and Emirati cultural symbols, enhanced by an AI-driven emotion-monitoring system for real-t ime well-being and safety. A mixed-methods study with 89 participants (49 parents, 40 educators) showed strong support for nature-integrated learning and cautious acceptance of AI tools, contingent on transparency and ethics. Parents and educators emphasized balancing free play with structure to foster autonomy, creativity, and flexibility. Results validate Natural Play as a culturally responsive, developmentally enriching model aligned with UAE Vision Centennial 2071, offering a blueprint for early education in hot, urbanized regions.

DOI Link

10.4018/979-8-3373-5312-8.ch016

ISBN

[9798337353128, 9798337353142]

Publisher

IGI Global Scientific Publishing

First Page

415

Last Page

456

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

Blueprint (0.77) | Natural (archaeology) (0.67) | Transparency (behavior) (0.45) | Capstone (0.44) | Centennial (0.44) | Environmental ethics (0.42) | Architectural engineering (0.38) | Engineering ethics (0.38) | Sociology (0.35) | Experiential learning (0.34) | Outdoor education (0.33) | Engineering (0.32) | Psychology (0.32) | Hindsight bias (0.32) | Pedagogy (0.31) | Sustainability (0.29) | Cultural diversity (0.29) | Cultural learning (0.29) | Computer science (0.28) | Globe (0.27)

Scopus ID

105043997165

Recommended Citation

Lihwaidi, Aisha; Ahli, Alia; Alsuwaidi, Fatma; Alnajjar, Eman; and Hojeij, Zeina, "Natural Play: A Smart Exploratory Greenhouse- Inspired Nursery" (2026). All Works. 8307.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/8307

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no