LEAven Blog

Spring is here! It’s a great time to take the students outside and learn in God’s creation. Whether you take a book outside or plan a lesson about nature, learning outside is great for students.

Need convincing? Here are 10 benefits of outdoor education my students came up with:

1. It’s unique. You can learn about God’s beautiful creation in ways we can’t indoors. 
2. It’s healthy. You will get fresh air and vitamin D. 
3. It’s fun. You can see and hear the outdoors while you learn, and you can do hands-on activities. 
4. It’s calming. You can spread out to read or work. You might notice that you and the students are more relaxed and engaged outside compared to when you’re inside. 
5. It improves academic performance. You can make concrete connections between indoor lessons and outdoor experiences.  
6. It helps you behave better. 
7. It encourages creativity. 
8. It promotes responsibility. You learn about the importance of God’s creation and how to take care of it.
9. It breaks up the indoor routine.  When you go outside you get relief from being cooped up inside during the winter. 
10. An outdoor classroom can promote community engagement. You can work with classmates and other volunteers to tend a garden, sort supplies, share fun facts, or learn about a career. 

I enjoyed asking my students what they thought about our outdoor education lessons. It was encouraging to hear how much they value and enjoy the outdoor classroom. 

There are several lesson ideas available to get you started with utilizing the outdoors for learning. Local park personnel might also be able to help get you started. Perhaps you begin with a nature walk, outdoor devotion, or reading groups.

If you’re interested in creating an outdoor classroom at your school, check out Nature Explore at natureexplore.org.