by Karen Borley, Senior Education Advisor, N Family Club
Trends from Natural England surveys have found that over 60% of children now play mostly indoors at home, and that direct contact with nature has halved in a single generation, suggesting that modern children are facing a ‘nature deficit’.
While indoor playrooms provide vital learning experiences, there is a growing movement in early childhood education that looks increasingly beyond four walls to the most sophisticated classroom ever designed: the great outdoors.
In the early years of a child’s life, the world is a place of endless wonder, and from intentionally designed nursery gardens to the muddy boots that accompany Forest School sessions, outdoor learning can provide awe-inspiring experiences to young children and act as a powerful driver of wellbeing, development and environmental responsibility.
Rather than viewing the garden as a break from learning, we should instead view the garden as a way to extend learning into the outdoors. When a space is planned with the same intentionality as an indoor room, it becomes a dynamic environment where children can explore physics through water flow, mathematics through the patterns of leaves and literacy through storytelling under the canopy of a tree.
A high quality outdoor environment is often designed in ‘zones’ – dedicated areas for physical play, creative exploration, quiet reflection and discovering wildlife. This structured yet open-ended approach allows children to lead their own learning, using ‘loose parts’ like crates, planks and tyres to build, problem-solve and collaborate.
Forest School takes this outdoor intentionality a step further. By moving the learning environment into local woodlands, children are given the freedom to engage with the natural world in its purest form. Forest School is not just about being outside; it is about building a deep, long-term connection with nature.
In these sessions, children aged three and over learn to manage risks and use real tools, such as bow saws and mallets, under careful supervision.They learn to build shelters, identify native tree species and even understand the safety protocols of a campfire. These experiences do more than teach practical skills; they build a sense of independence and resilience that is hard to replicate in a traditional classroom setting.
The benefits of learning in nature are holistic and cover every part of a child’s development:
Physical development
The terrain of a garden or forest naturally supports strength, balance and coordination, and encourages the kind of physical activity that is essential for healthy growth.
Emotional wellbeing
Natural environments are proven to reduce stress and support emotional regulation. For many children, particularly those with sensory processing needs, the outdoors provides a calming, neuro-inclusive space where they can thrive.
Social skills
Nature promotes collaboration. Whether it’s working together to move a heavy log or negotiating the rules of a game in the garden, children develop strong communication and empathy as they care for shared spaces and living things.
Global responsibility
Early contact with nature is the single biggest predictor of adult pro-environmental behaviour. By caring for bug hotels, composting plant waste and observing life cycles firsthand, children become active stewards of their environment. Integrating the outdoors into early education also aligns with broader environmental goals, such as the Department for Education’s Carbon Action Plan. By utilising gardens and local green spaces, educators reduce reliance on energy-intensive indoor environments and model sustainable practices – such as collecting rainwater or prioritising natural, reusable resources – directly to the next generation.
As we look toward the future of early years education, it is clear that the classroom is evolving. By embracing Forest School-inspired learning and intentionally designed outdoor spaces, we provide children with a rich, sensory and purposeful environment that allows their curiosity to come alive.
When we give children the chance to get a little bit muddy and explore the world around them, we aren’t just teaching them about nature; we are giving them the tools to be confident, curious and physically capable individuals who are ready to take on the world.
Founded in 2017, N Family Club set out to rethink early years education – developing a progressive curriculum, building a sector-leading team culture, and a world class service that adds real value for families. A proud B Corp, N Family Club was rated the highest quality group in the UK by Nursery World in 2022 & 2023, accredited as a Great Place to Work in 2024 and 2025, and recognised as the 14th Best Workplace in the UK (Super Large Category) in 2026. www.nfamilyclub.com
