Outdoor Learning. Outdoor Education. Nature Play. Learning Outside. Whatever name you are using, there is research to support this idea of using the outdoor environment to facilitate learning. Loads of it.

A couple to start you off…

Outdoor Learning & Green Time: How kids benefit from learning in playing in nature. From Parenting Science, this is an easy read with supporting research. It covers the benefits of outdoor learning as well as the effect of a “green view”.

Outdoor Learning Guide. Published by Education Scotland, this is a fantastic resource. It covers benefits, research, curriculum, space and more.

If Children Lose Contact With Nature They Won’t Fight For It. The Guardian newspaper highlighting the importance of contact with nature.

No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society. Published by The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Tim Gill takes a look at risk and its importance.

For more like this, here’s a spreadsheet.

Head to Facebook

Outdoor Learning & Play Research and Articles – research, news, information and articles about learning and play outdoors.

Communitree Outdoor Education Specialists – UK based company who share a range of helpful articles and inspiring quotes.

Research Archives and Libraries

The Children and Nature Network

The Institute of Outdoor Learning

The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

University of Wisconsin’s Outdoor Learning Research Summary

University of Plymouth’s Outdoor Learning Resources and Publications

Geek Zone

Neuroscience is on your side. Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a set of nerves in your brain that filter out unnecessary information so that your head doesn’t explode. As it deems information important, you then start to see it everywhere. It’s the reason why when you buy a new car, you start seeing it everywhere. So, congratulations! Now that you’re looking for this stuff, you’re going to find it everywhere. Go forth and discover.