Often called “nature” or “forest” schools in the US, the early childhood outdoor education style was inspired by European nature kindergartens where biology and ecology are at the heart of the programme and are studied in an immersive environment.
Nature-based learning is a classroom that isn't contained within four walls, a place where learning begins as soon as the child’s boots hit the mud. It is a style of learning which swaps the hard desks and blackboards for fynbos and forests, for the bush and beaches.
Learning happens not through rote memorisation, but through unstructured free play, where children are left to explore the outdoors with minimal adult guidance.
According to David Sobel, a member of the education faculty at Antioch University New England and author of multiple books on childhood and nature, nature schools were introduced to the US alongside the Earth Day movement in the 1970s.
While nature preschools are becoming increasingly popular, other models that complement more traditional forms of education are emerging as well. Family nature clubs encourage children and parents to explore the outdoors together.
Many schools have incorporated school gardens and “green schoolyards”, which replace conventional playground equipment with things such as ponds, food forests, and natural structures to climb on.
“What everybody wants to see are kids that are more centred, more self-directed, more emotionally stable, more physically active, and know how to take initiative,” Sobel says. “If we have a more nature-balanced education, those are the things we’re going to see in kids.”
Tinkergarten trains parents and provides activities to start local nature-based programmes.
Here are some tips to get you started so you can provide your children with the education of a lifetime.
1. Swap the screen time for daytime
According to Sobel, children spend an average of 6 – 8 hours per day looking at screens with average outdoor time now around 45 minutes in the US. These figures may be a little better in South Africa but not by much.
But, instead of completely swearing your kids off the technology, focus children’s tech use by implementing digital media in ways that enhance outdoor time. For example, use tablets to create nature photo essays and video documentaries, introduce apps that help identify wild plants, or use graphic design software to create trail signage.
2. Mix it Up
A central tenet behind nature-based learning is creating a sense of place, a familiar area that children connect with on a regular basis, but it is advisable to vary the setting so that your children don’t grow bored.
Check out the various habitats, such as riverbeds, veld, ponds, and forests around where you live. If there’s a favourite spot you and your children frequent, note the differences in that habitat during the changing seasons.
3. Dress for Success
Having children outdoors for extended periods of time during all types of weather is important for fostering resiliency. However, dressing appropriately for the weather is key.
Invest in a good rain jacket, a pair of rain boots, and always pack layers. Inform other parents that children will be outdoors during all types of weather and should be dressed appropriately. In South Africa, especially in summer, a wide-brimmed hat and sunblock are recommended.
4. Parent Prep
During nature school, children need to carry their supplies for the day, including food and hydration, on their backs. If you’re leading a nature-based school or playgroup, educating parents about proper gear is critical for success and safety.
Tina Brouwer, an avid rock climber with an educational background in ecology and natural resources conservation, suggested to Mother Earth Living that “making sure parents know what to expect and that they understand that what they’re coming to aren’t adult-directed activities or high supervision” is important for a positive experience.
5. Adapt to the Ages
While nature and forest schools often cater to preschool- and kindergarten-aged children, nature-based schooling and activities can be adapted to suit the developmental needs of your growing child.
Sobel writes in EarthEd that “while elementary age activities focus on exploration and adeptness of the physical world, middle and high school programmes use nature to deepen rite-of-passage experiences and cultivate leadership skills that lead to social action”.
So while spending the day studying worms in the garden may be meaningful for your 4-year-old, taking your teens on a weekend hiking trip in the Drakensberg may give them an experience that teaches important relational and survival skills. Research different ideas and techniques as you develop your programming, and don’t be afraid to let the children lead their own learning.
6. Barefoot is best
Online learning platform Education.com says that “not only does going barefoot feel great, it also nourishes, strengthens, and promotes agility in a child’s growing feet, ankles, legs, knees, and hips”.
The platform shared that podiatrists agree that bare feet should be a vital component of a child’s everyday life, in all seasons. “The bare foot functions almost like a sense organ, feeling subtleties of changing terrain while walking and playing and making countless small adjustments in how each step is taken. These adjustments actually help each of us form our balance, movement systems, and posture for life.”
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