An examination of preschool children's ecological literacy levels in relation to environmental awareness and sustainability

The aim of this study is to determine the ecological literacy levels of preschool children and to examine the effects of environmental education practices on their environmental awareness and sustainable behaviors. The research was conducted using a quantitative experimental design. The study group consisted of children aged 5–6 attending a public preschool in Turkey during the 2024–2025 academic year. Two separate groups were formed: an experimental group and a control group. Only the experimental group participated in structured environmental education activities. Data were collected using the 60–72 Months Children's Sustainable Behavior Assessment Scale Towards the Environment developed by Özkan, Tuğluk, and Yiğitalp (2020) and the Environmental Awareness and Attitude Scale for Preschool Children developed by Büyüktaşkapu Soydan and Öztürk Samur (2017). The findings revealed that environmental education practices significantly improved the ecological literacy levels of children in the experimental group and had a positive effect on their environmental awareness and sustainable behaviors. No significant improvement was observed in the control group. These results indicate that environmental education given at the preschool level positively influences children's environmental attitudes and behaviors and that environmental sensitivity can be developed at an early age. The study emphasized the importance of introducing environmental education in early childhood and recommended integrating nature-based activities into preschool education programs.