We have long understood the importance of reconnecting people with nature and as we emerge from the pandemic educators are adopting this practice with renewed vigour.
Until recently research in this field was relatively weak. However there are now numerous studies which point to the benefits for human health and wellbeing of spending time in nature (Hartig et al, 2001; Howell et al, 2011; Mayer et al, 2009) and the links to pro-environmental behaviour (Frantz & Mayer, 2014).
The People and Nature survey by Natural England (2022) found that 85% of children agree that being in nature made them very happy.
Another study, meanwhile, focused on more than 450 primary school children and the effects of outdoor educational activities on their wellbeing, finding that children’s wellbeing increased after they had spent time connecting with nature. The children showed an increase in their personal wellbeing and health over time, an increase in nature connection, and high levels of enjoyment. They also felt their experiences helped their school work and reported feeling more confident (Sheldrake et al, 2019).
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