Yet, in the past few decades, the amount of time that children spend outdoors and the ways they experience their neighbourhoods, have changed drastically. Much of the recreational time of today’s children is spent on indoor pursuits, even among children who live in rural areas.

Many research studies over the past decade links children’s mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health with time spent outdoors, experiencing nature. For example, students have been shown to have increased focus, confidence, self-esteem and overall feelings of happiness and satisfaction with school.

Even something as simple as looking at a tree can have surprisingly calming effects! In addition, directly observing plants and animals help children develop an understanding of “systems”, that is, the relationships and processes in nature, while building their connections to community. Not only that but learning outside is fun! Students are excited and enthusiastic to try new activities and discover new things. This type of experiential, “hands-on” learning often reaches students who don’t thrive in a typical classroom setting.

Outdoor Programs