Archaeological research today reveals native people traveled by boat to what is now known as North America some 30,000 years ago, when giant animals still roamed the continent long before it was thought the earliest arrivals had made the crossing from Asia. Their ability to overcome challenges and ultimate survival depended on their knowledge of nature and their relationship to the earth and the world around them. They were the stewards of the land and the original forest school outdoor educators, and they exist today to tell their history and the history of the land that we all live on today.  

The 19th Century brought outdoor learning to Eurocentric philosophers, naturalists, and educators such as Wordsworth, Ruskin, Baden Powell, Leslie Paul (who founded the Woodcraft Folk in 1925), Kurt Hahn (who founded Gordonstone), Susan Isaacs and sisters Margaret and Rachel McMillan, who all laid the foundations for what is known as Forest School today. They realized the importance of introducing students to the outdoors, learning about the natural world, and encouraging future outdoor recreation and physical fitness.   

The original forest kindergartens established throughout Europe were preschool aged, in gardens or outdoors, and play-based. Today, forest schools have spread throughout the globe and many privately-held and non-profit institutions have grown in the U.S. becoming popular with families looking for alternative education.  

I’ve never attended a forest school or grew up in outdoor education programs. However, when I became an adult and took courses to become an outdoor educator, I noticed the benefits of outdoor education in the students who I was instructing. I have seen the benefits of studying ecology, and this is why I have shifted my professional focus in recent years.  

The Perfect Setting  

Outdoor classrooms provide the perfect setting for all subjects. I usually begin a course by getting students orientated and used to the idea of making new friends and becoming comfortable in the outdoors. They learn geography with a map activity before we even leave for a campsite or trailhead, and they learn the science and mechanics of proper gear before loading up transportation. Students learn the history of the land, all the different people who have inhabited the land and who do so today, and study various sciences while hiking and challenging themselves physically. The outdoors becomes the perfect space for students to learn an array of subjects including math, science, language arts, social science, environmental education, agriculture education, art and design education, and family and consumer education.  

Adaptable  

The natural world is the most adaptable space for students to study and learn. They use all of their senses to experience their environment, pose new questions, and find solutions to challenges they encounter. Unstructured play outdoors has been proven to promote creativity and problem-solving skills.   

Better Test Scores  

Students of forest schools tend to produce better test scores on average. Their medium of education forces students to adapt, search for meaning, and find deeper understanding of the world around them. The challenges faced in the outdoors encourages students to become adaptable and apply their knowledge to real world situations with the safety and guidance provided by outdoor educators.    

Higher Grades  

Forest school students tend to have higher grade point averages when compared to students who attend mainstream schools of the 20th Century. Students who participate in this evolution and adoption of outdoor education have better reasoning and pattern-recognition skills and find it easier and more enjoyable to soak up new information. They are more engaged with their studies and have a brighter outlook on education overall.  

Decreased Behavioral Problems  

I’ve witnessed decreased behavioral problems in students I have instructed in real-time. One student, who couldn’t at first tell me why he found himself getting into fights with other students changed his attitude over the course of a backpacking trip and demonstrated more compassionate traits and actions to his peers around him. He found peace in the outdoors in a space that allowed him to better understand himself.   

Lessened Symptoms of ADHD  

Studies have revealed that students diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have shown reduced symptoms of ADHD after attending a forest school for a period of time. The outdoors allows students with ADHD to find ways to learn about themselves and better manage their symptoms.  

I’ve recently shifted my focus in marketing from construction, design, and manufacturing to the promotion of outdoor education because I have witnessed the benefits of inviting students to be in nature and learn about the world beyond digital screens and enclosed spaces with four walls. By engaging in a variety of outdoor activities, students develop a deeper connection with nature, gain practical skills, enhance their problem-solving abilities, and build resilience in the face of challenges. Outdoor education has not only improved my life but has also encouraged me to become more confident. Being in nature has sharpened my skills so that I can overcome any problem, and I am aligning myself with organizations and programs today that help other students receive an outdoor education as well. 

The Outdoor Education Research Summary provided by LEAF’s Wisconsin’s K-12 Forestry Education Program: Outdoor Education Research Summary