Natural learning environments promote physical activity more than traditional learning environments

The rapidly-growing interest in nature-based learning has resulted in an increasing number of forest and nature school programs where children spend all or a large portion of their time in natural outdoor settings. Forest schools and other nature-based programs operate on the assumption that regular engagement with the natural environment fosters children's overall development. Research supports this assumption. This study focused on just one aspect of forest schools – that is, the way in which they influence physical activity. While other studies have shown that participation in forest schools resulted in improvements in children's gross and fine motor skills, what is not well understood is how specific activity types and classroom structure influence students' physical activity. This study addressed these two areas of concern.

The study involved naturalistic observations of children's activities in three nature kindergarten and two traditional kindergarten classrooms in Canada. Observations in the nature kindergarten were conducted only during teacher-directed, nature-based learning activities in the outdoor environment. Traditional kindergarten observations occurred at approximately the same time of day during regularly-scheduled indoor activities. All observations were conducted as students engaged in tasks typical of their respective classroom environments. The observations focused on gross body movement and specific physical activity types (such as walking and throwing), along with observations of context (including the type and structure of the learning environment). The physical activity observations were based on protocols from the OSRAC-P Sampling Observation System. Observations of the learning environment context included five dimensions: (a) type of instructional activity (e.g., lecture, discussion, free play), (b) the structure of the activity (completely structured, semi-structured, or unstructured; (c) student choice; (d) collaboration; and (e) mobility. There were ten observations of nature kindergarten classrooms; seven of traditional kindergarten classrooms. A total of 81 students participated in the study.

Children in the nature kindergartens engaged in more gross motor movements and a greater number of specific activity types than peers in traditional kindergartens. There was little difference in the amount of time the two groups engaged in fine motor movements; there were differences, however, in the type of fine motor activities engaged in by the students. Students in traditional kindergarten used paper and crayons for drawing and scissors for cutting. Students in nature kindergarten used sticks to draw in the dirt, formed sculptures with mud, and arranged twigs into designs. Nature kindergartens provided more opportunities than traditional kindergartens for making choices and engaging in more unstructured activity and free play. In terms of physical activity, the structure of the traditional classroom required the children to remain more stationary than the children in the nature kindergarten. There was more variability in the nature kindergarten environment than the traditional classroom. Additionally, there was more variability across nature kindergarten classrooms than across traditional kindergartens.

These findings indicate that the learning environment plays a role in children's physical activity. While the nature-based learning environment provided rich and diverse opportunities for children's physical development, the traditional kindergarten classrooms did not afford children these same opportunities. These findings are consistent with other research showing that natural environments promote physical activity.