How to get children outdoors in nature all year round

What nature gives children like nothing else can

A large meta-analysis published in Environmental Health Perspectives (2017) reviewed 21 studies and consistently found a link between time in nature and lower symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, and depression in children. This is not nature mysticism — it’s neurobiology.

Nature offers something the modern home cannot: unpredictability. A tree is never the same two days in a row. A stream changes shape with the rain. This kind of sensory variation activates the brain’s attention systems in a way that actually restores concentration. Researchers call this "attention restoration theory" — nature allows the brain to relax and reboot.

Motorically, nature gives children the chance to climb, balance, run on uneven terrain, and use their bodies in ways that are not possible on a flat playground. This strengthens gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and risk assessment.

Spring: growth, birds, and the first green shoots

Spring is the season when nature moves fastest. Something new literally happens from day to day, giving children a fantastic opportunity to observe change over time.

• Build an insect hotel — gather branches, cones, and straw in a piece of wood with drilled holes. Even 3-year-olds can help collect materials.
• The Birdhouse Project — build or buy a simple birdhouse, hang it up, and observe who moves in. A spotting list and binoculars make it even better.
• Plant Seeds — radishes and cress sprout in a week. Let the child sow, water, and harvest. It’s one of the shortest and most satisfying natural cycles.
• Flower Hunt — make a list of 10 spring flowers and find them in nature: wood sorrel, anemones, harebells.
• Follow the Earthworms — after rain, earthworms are everywhere. Children love them. Let them count, measure, and conduct soil experiments.

Research from the Journal of Environmental Psychology shows that children who participate in active nature observations — like birdwatching and plant cultivation — develop a stronger understanding of nature than children who merely spend time passively in nature.

Summer: campfires, beach, and the cool shade of the forest

Summer with children is easiest: light, warm, and plenty of opportunity windows. The risk is overfilling the calendar with organized activities and forgetting the unstructured free space that nature offers.

• Campfire Food — sticks with sausages or twisted bread over a small fire is one of the most memorable experiences for most children. Even 3-year-olds can hold a stick with supervision.
• Dune Day at the Beach — no program, no schedule. Just water, sand, and a basket of food. Children invent their own games if given time.
• Purposeful Forest Outing — collect three things that are soft, three things that are hard, three things that smell. Sensory tasks give children focus without limiting them.
• Pond Investigation — net, bucket, and magnifying glass. What lives in the water? Damselflies, tadpoles, and water fleas fascinate children of all ages.
• Nature Sculpture — build something from materials you find: a hut of sticks, a mandala of stones and leaves, a mini bridge over a stream.

Autumn: mushrooms, chestnuts, and lantern parades

October nature is generous. It drops chestnuts, acorns, and oak leaves at our feet. You just have to bend down and pick them up.

• Mushroom Hunt with Guide — download a mushroom app or bring a mushroom book. Focus on finding and naming, not necessarily eating.
• Chestnut Figures — the classic. Sticks, matches, and chestnuts. Give children free rein to build animals, robots, families.
• Leaf Press Project — collect a leaf from each tree you find. Place them under heavy books for two weeks and create a botanical plant album.
• Lantern parade — many municipalities hold them, but you can also make your own. A March lantern or a jam jar with a candle — walk around in the dark.
• Bird feeding begins — autumn is the right time to hang up a feeding station. Tits and greenfinches appear quickly.

Winter: tracking in snow, campfires, and winter birds

Winter is the season when most families give up on nature. It’s a shame — because winter nature offers something unique: silence, tracks in the snow, and a complete lack of mosquitoes.

• Animal tracking in snow — after the first snowfall, the forest is full of tracks from foxes, hares, and birds. A tracking guide costs nothing to print.
• Winter bird feeding — hang suet balls and sunflower seeds. Tits appear quickly, and children can sit by the window and count species.
• Winter campfire — gather dry twigs, build a fire, and make hot cocoa. Fire fascinates children of all ages and teaches them respect and caution.
• Ice experiments — freeze flowers, leaves, or colored water and examine the result the next morning.
• Find green in winter — holly, ivy, and spruce are all green in the middle of winter. Explore why they don’t lose their leaves.

A Norwegian study from Frontiers in Psychology (2019) showed that children who regularly spend time outside in cold weather report higher well-being and more energy than children who mainly stay indoors during winter.

What you need — and what you don’t need

There is no bad weather — only wrong clothing. Waterproof boots, a windproof jacket, and the layering principle are all you need to feel good outside in any weather.

You do not need: expensive branded outdoor pants, organized nature programs, a car, or access to a forest. A city park and a couple of rain gear items are enough for most nature experiences.

The most important single choice you can make is to make nature a daily habit rather than a weekend event. Research from the University of Michigan shows that even 20 minutes of daily nature contact significantly reduces the stress hormone cortisol — and this effect applies to children as well.

Find more inspiration for family activities on our inspiration blog, where we continuously share ideas for active days with children.

Nature as a Learning Space: What Children Learn Without Knowing It

When a child builds a dam in a stream, they learn hydrodynamics. When they plant a seed and water it every day, they learn patience and the biological cycle. When they navigate a forest, they train spatial orientation. All this happens without the child realizing they are "learning something."

Research from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health documents that outdoor learning increases children’s engagement, creative problem-solving, and ability to collaborate compared to similar indoor activities.

The most important role you have as an adult is to give time and space — and let curiosity lead. Ask questions rather than giving answers: "What do you think lives under that stone?" is better than "There’s a worm under there."