Amid the rapid progression of social, industrial, and urbanization, children’s outdoor activities have become increasingly dominated by digital devices and academic demands, leading to a rise in nature defi cit disorder. Enhancing children’s innate perception and observational skills can strengthen their cognitive and emotional bonds with nature, with plants functioning as vital elements of sustainable living environments and human-nature interactions. While existing studies on the benefi ts of plants have emphasized visual and olfactory dimensions, tactile perception, particularly evidence-based research tailored to children, remains insuffi ciently explored. This study employed fi eld surveys and questionnaires to assess tactile landscape perceptions among school-aged children, selecting Stachys byzantina as a representative soft-textured plant material and stainless steel, a commonly used hard-textured artifi cial material in children’s spaces, to compare physiological and psychological responses before and after tactile contact. Results indicated that: (1) Tactile interaction with Stachys byzantina markedly diminished frontal theta wave activity and negated emotional responses, thereby fostering relaxation; conversely, contact with stainless steel suppressed positive emotions and elicited stress-related perceptions; (2) No signifi cant variations in autonomic stress markers, such as blood pressure or heart rate, were observed following contact with Stachys byzantina, implying limited immediate physiological recuperation; (3) Compared to stainless steel, exposure to Stachys byzantina notably enhanced attentional performance, as assessed via the Schulte Grid test, and augmented the sense of connectedness to nature; (4) Visual and tactile stimuli exhibit complex interactions in modulating cognitive relaxation. These fi ndings contribute to the theoretical understanding of plant-mediated health benefi ts through tactile engagement and establish a scientifi c foundation for the development of engaging, safe, and health-promoting tactile plant landscapes in urban children’s parks.