Teachers are always looking for ways to support their students’ wellbeing, focus, and learning, and sometimes, the most effective tools aren’t found in the classroom, but outside of it. At a time when many young people are spending less time outdoors, helping them reconnect with nature has never been more important.
A recent National Trust survey found that three-quarters of children want to spend more time outside. That’s a powerful reminder of how much they value the natural world and how much they stand to gain from it. Whether it’s a quick outdoor activity, a day trip, or a full residential experience, time in nature can make a real difference.
In this blog, we’ll look at how outdoor experiences support students’ physical and mental health, boost their academic performance, and help them develop the confidence and social skills they need to thrive.
Why is it important for students to spend time in nature?
Spending time in nature offers students far more than just a break from the classroom. It plays a key role in supporting their overall development.
From improving mental health to enhancing academic focus, here are some of the most compelling reasons to bring learning outdoors.
1. Reduces stress and anxiety
Time spent outdoors has a powerful calming effect. Nature provides a quiet, restorative space that helps students decompress from the daily pressures of school life, exams, and social expectations.
Whether they’re walking through woodland, sitting under a tree, or simply playing in a green space, the natural world can lower stress levels and ease symptoms of anxiety. This kind of emotional reset is one of the key aims behind our new THRIVE! programme — helping young people to feel more grounded, resilient, and ready to learn.
2. Enhances academic performance
Being outdoors isn’t just good for wellbeing; it’s also a proven way to boost learning. Time in nature has been linked to better concentration, sharper memory, and improved problem-solving skills.
When students feel more relaxed and engaged, they’re better able to absorb new information, think creatively, and stay focused throughout the day.
3. Improves physical health
Outdoor activities naturally encourage movement, making it easier for students to stay active. From hiking and swimming to team sports and adventure challenges, time spent outdoors supports cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, and improves coordination.
It also helps build lifelong habits around physical activity and healthy living, reducing the risk of obesity and other health issues later in life.
4. Builds social skills
Working together outside the classroom creates unique opportunities for students to strengthen their social skills. Whether they’re solving a challenge on a high ropes course or building a den in the woods, these shared experiences help build trust, communication, and teamwork.
Students learn how to collaborate, listen to others, and support their peers — valuable life skills they’ll carry far beyond school.
5. Promotes hands-on learning
Nature is the perfect setting for curiosity-led, experiential learning. Instead of passively receiving information, students are invited to engage, observe, question, and explore.
From spotting wildlife to navigating unfamiliar terrain, outdoor learning helps develop critical thinking, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for the environment — skills that can’t always be taught within four walls.
Fun nature activities for students of all ages
Spending time outdoors doesn’t have to be limited to weekend trips or special occasions. With a little creativity, students of all ages can enjoy engaging, educational, and accessible nature activities, whether they’re at home, in the school playground, or away on a residential trip.
Here are some fun ideas to help students connect with the natural world, wherever they are:
At Home
- Nature scavenger hunt – Create a checklist of items to find in the garden or local park, like pinecones, feathers, different-shaped leaves, or specific colours.
- Grow your own garden – From cress and herbs on a windowsill to sunflowers in the garden, nurturing plants is a simple and satisfying way to engage with nature.
- Cloud watching or stargazing – Encourage children to lie back and observe the sky. Try guessing cloud shapes or spotting constellations to spark imagination and curiosity.
- DIY bird feeders – Use household items like toilet rolls, peanut butter, and seeds to make bird feeders and attract local wildlife.
At School
- Lunchtime nature clubs – These can include simple gardening tasks such as planting bulbs or weeding, bug spotting, or keeping a weather journal.
- Outdoor reading time – Grab a blanket and take books outside. The fresh air and change of environment can make reading feel even more relaxing.
- Nature art – Collect leaves, sticks, and stones to create natural sculptures or mandalas. This can also be tied into art lessons or mindfulness activities such as meditation.
- Micro-nature explorations – Equip students with magnifying glasses to explore insects, moss, and soil close-up. Encourage them to sketch or write down what they see.
On Activity Trips and Weekends Away
- Orienteering challenges – Help students learn map-reading and navigation while exploring woods or fields in teams.
- Den building – A classic activity that encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and a real sense of achievement when the shelter is complete.
- Campfire storytelling or nature journaling – Reflect on the day with group stories or by writing and drawing in a personal journal.
- Pond dipping and mini-beast hunts – Explore local ecosystems up close and learn about biodiversity in a hands-on, memorable way. Use pond nets to closely inspect the wildlife, or simply use clear containers and a magnifying glass to get a close-up, detailed look at different habitats.
These activities not only encourage physical movement and time outdoors but also nurture skills like observation, creativity, confidence, and teamwork. Most importantly, they help build a lifelong connection with nature, which can nurture students’ wellbeing and learning for years to come.
Incorporating nature with classroom learning
Bringing nature into the classroom, or taking the classroom outside, can have a powerful impact on how students engage with their learning. By making lessons more hands-on, multi-sensory, and grounded in the real world, teachers can spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and enhance students’ wellbeing at the same time.
Here are some practical ways to weave nature into different subjects:
Science
Nature offers a living laboratory for young scientists. Students can observe plant growth, study minibeasts, explore habitats, or investigate the water cycle in real time.
Whether it’s planting seeds and tracking their growth or examining the structure of leaves, these kinds of hands-on experiments help bring scientific concepts to life.
Geography
From reading maps during a walk to studying local landforms or weather patterns, outdoor learning can help make geography tangible.
Students might survey the school grounds to understand erosion, explore different types of soil, or track cloud types and rainfall as part of a weather diary.
English
The natural world is full of inspiration for creative writing. Students could write descriptive passages, poems, or short stories based on what they see, hear, and feel outdoors.
Nature journaling is also a brilliant way to combine reflective writing with observation skills.
Art & Design
Using natural materials like leaves, sticks, stones, or flowers, students can create collages, sculptures, or prints.
Drawing or painting outdoors also allows for sketching from life, helping students develop attention to detail and a deeper appreciation of the world around them.
Maths
Nature can be used to explore numbers, patterns, and shapes. Students might measure tree heights, estimate distances, count petals, or investigate symmetry in leaves.
These outdoor activities make abstract maths concepts more concrete and accessible.
Why it matters
Incorporating nature into classroom learning helps:
- Increase engagement, especially for kinaesthetic and visual learners – By providing hands-on experiences and visually stimulating environments, nature-based learning caters to different learning styles, making lessons more captivating and accessible.
- Foster a sense of calm and focus in students – Natural environments have been shown to reduce stress and improve attention spans, creating a more conducive atmosphere for learning and concentration.
- Develop observational and enquiry-based thinking – Interacting with nature encourages students to closely observe phenomena, ask questions, and develop their own investigations, improving critical thinking skills.
- Build a stronger connection between students and the environment – Direct experiences in nature can develop a sense of care, responsibility, and understanding towards the natural world, teaching children to look after the environment.
Even small changes, like holding lessons outside when the weather allows or using nature as a theme across subjects, can make a big difference. Over time, these experiences help students not only achieve academically but also grow in confidence, curiosity, and care for the world around them.
Discover the wonders of nature at PGL!
We believe in the transformative power of nature for students. Our wide range of residential school trips for both primary and secondary schools are designed to create unforgettable outdoor experiences.
To learn more about how we can enhance your students’ educational journey, get in touch with us today. Let’s inspire the next generation to explore, learn, and thrive in the great outdoors!
