Photo: Markus Spiske | Unsplash
The idea of forest schools is not new, particularly in Scandinavia. Despite this, there is a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of forest schooling for children's mental, social, physical, and self-awareness. This strategy is taken a step further by forest organizations like the Samoojat in Finland's Hopealaakso nursery, where kids spend their days exploring and learning in the forest come rain or shine. Activities range from unstructured play to organized instruction, promoting environmental consciousness and improving cognitive development. Annina Kuusisto, an early childhood education professor, claims that outdoor education is effective in helping kids "understand much more easily why it's important to recycle and pick up trash". "These children will understand much more easily why it's important to recycle and pick up trash," she says. There are strategies to promote outdoor learning even in urban areas, like incorporating nature into playgrounds and organizing neighborhood outings.
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