ZDA collaborates with educators, children and families to develop natural playgrounds and outdoor classrooms. Growing research shows that access to nature positively contributes to physical, cognitive, and emotional childhood development. Outdoor play and learning promotes concentration and self-discipline, resulting in higher test scores, and helps children experience more diverse and collaborative play with advanced motor fitness. According to experts in the field, if you have climbed trees and rocks, built forts, baked mud pies, dammed up water, dug in sand, jumped in leaves, or had fun outside in other, similar ways, you have experienced the joy of natural play.