The Importance of Learning Outdoors

Education teaches children about the ways of the world around them. What better way to learn this lesson than to step into the great outdoors? Learning outdoors can boost children’s mood, help their concentration, and teach them about the environment. We support taking education outside, and here are some reasons why.

Improves Mental Health

Being outside is a huge mood-booster for many children. Enjoying the outdoors allows them to experience nature, enjoy sunshine, and relax in their environment. Even if there is no physical activity involved, learning outside can be a great benefit to children’s health. Studies have shown that outdoor learning can increase a child’s learning in many positive ways. 

Sharpens Focus

Many children find that their attention spans lengthen and their concentration improves when learning outside. Nature’s backdrop can provide a blanketed sensory experience that can absorb a child’s attention without pulling focus from the task at hand. This sharpened sense of focus helps with retaining information and making them more productive. 

Increases Awareness

Bringing education outdoors can make children more aware of the world around them. Immersing them in their surroundings creates observations they wouldn’t have inside of a classroom. They can develop a deeper understanding of the environment and become more compassionate about nature. This can result in friendly attitudes and beliefs about the environment, encouraging a desire for more nature-based education. 

Develops Emotional Intelligence

New environments generate different feelings for every child. Taking learning outdoors allows children to regulate their emotional reactions and adapt to a change in routine. Outdoor learning also encourages self-reflection, which increases skills for emotional responses. They might learn collaboration with classmates, or they might bring that sense of peace they found outdoors back inside the classroom . Being outdoors nurtures children’s emotions, which is an important part of their education.

Giving children the opportunity to learn outdoors matters because of the many ways children benefit from it. St. Teresa, a Titusville private school, encourages students to grow in all aspects of education. With over 57 years of academic excellence, St. Teresa Catholic School provides a quality education that goes from PreK-3 through 8th grade. To learn more about why St. Teresa is the perfect fit for you and your student, contact us today.