Outdoor Nature Based (ONB) Pedagogy

ONB Pedagogy Resources
Linked Below

Home School Families, Mentors, Guides and Teachers

ONB Pedagogy Resources

Healthy Problem Solving

Crew Resources:
Chapter 9 Appendix from The Essential Guide to Forest Schools and Nature Pedagogy

Chapter 9 Strategies for Creating a Healthy Problem Solving Community

Chapter 9 appendix available here
Full book and all free student support materials available here.

Benefits and Research

Benefits of Outdoor Nature Based Pedagogy

Better attention, less “friction”
Regular nature exposure is linked with improvements in attention and cognitive function—exactly the stuff that makes indoor routines feel hard in the first place. Getting outside can be a proactive support, not an “extra.” Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8125471/
Engagement goes up when learning is embodied
A systematic review of learning in natural outdoor settings reports benefits like increased student engagement and ownership of learning. When kids can move, touch, build, and test ideas, participation often rises without you having to “manage” it as much. Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.877058/full
Mental health + wellbeing benefits are real
Evidence suggests nature has a beneficial effect on children’s mental health and wellbeing, which supports calmer classrooms and stronger relationships. Outdoor time can be a protective factor in a high-stress world. Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11536187/
Outdoor learning supports the whole child (not just academics)
Nature exposure is associated with multiple health outcomes—physical activity, mental health, and cognitive function—so it’s a high “return on time” investment. If you’re trying to support regulation and readiness, outside helps. Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8125471/
It can reduce behavior battles by meeting nervous-system needs
Kids aren’t “wired” for long stretches of stillness—outdoor routines build movement and sensory input into the day, which can improve self-regulation. That often means fewer power struggles when you transition back inside. Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11536187/
It’s not a break from learning—it is learning
Outdoor settings naturally invite inquiry: students ask better questions because the environment keeps changing (weather, tracks, plants, light). That dynamic context supports authentic science practices and language development. Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.877058/full
Nature supports cognitive performance across populations
A broad review found associations between nature exposure and improved cognitive function and brain activity, alongside other health indicators. Even short, consistent doses can be worth the routine shift. Research: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8125471/
It strengthens belonging and motivation
Outdoor learning often increases student ownership—kids feel like capable contributors when they can build, explore, and solve real problems together. That sense of competence can carry into indoor academics. Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.877058/full
It’s a practical equity move (not everyone gets nature access)
School-based outdoor time can be a reliable way to ensure all students get the benefits of nature exposure, not just kids with access outside of school. That consistency matters for wellbeing and learning readiness. Research: https://jech.bmj.com/content/72/10/958
The challenge is real—but the payoff is compounding The first few weeks of shifting routines can feel messy, but the evidence base points to meaningful benefits for engagement, wellbeing, and learning processes. Once norms are set (gear, boundaries, transitions), outdoor time often becomes the easiest part of the day. Research: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.877058/full

Appplications and Activities

Seasonal Applications and Activity Ideas

Winter

Spring

WINTER

Winter — Shelter as Engineering + Belonging

When students build shelters, they’re practicing design thinking, teamwork, and real-time problem solving—while learning what “community care” looks like in cold weather. Try a simple shelter challenge with clear roles (materials manager, tester, recorder) so every kid contributes. Resources: https://winterkids.org/learn-outside-guide + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Winter — Reflection Routines (Mind + Body)

Winter invites a slower tempo: short sit-spots, quiet noticing, and “what changed since last week?” questions that build attention and self-regulation. These micro-practices support wellbeing and classroom readiness, especially for students who need movement before focus. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Winter — Wildcraft Basics = Confidence + Competence

Age-appropriate knots, tool safety norms, and simple camp systems help kids feel capable—and that competence often transfers back into academic persistence. Keep it “both/and”: structured skill + plenty of free exploration time. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://winterkids.org/learn-outside-guide/

Winter — Weather as Data (Not a Barrier)

Cold days are a living lab for math and science: temperature tracking, wind observations, and “what gear worked?” reflections build practical reasoning. Students learn adaptation instead of avoidance—an essential resilience skill. Resources: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Outdoorschoolreport_0.pdf + https://www.weareteachers.com/winter-outdoor-learning/

Winter — Contemplative Games for SEL

Quiet, sensory-based games (sound maps, fox-walk, tracking circles) help students practice impulse control and empathy while staying engaged outdoors. It’s social-emotional learning that doesn’t feel like a lesson—it feels like play. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Winter — Animal Tracks & Story Science

Tracking turns observation into narrative: students infer what happened, test hypotheses, and revise their thinking with new evidence. That “story + science” blend is a powerful both/and pathway for reluctant writers and emerging scientists. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Winter — Cooperative Challenges (Community Building)

Outdoor problem-solving games naturally surface leadership, listening, and repair—skills that strengthen classroom culture long after recess ends. Give students a shared goal and a reflection prompt: “How did we include everyone?” Resources: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Outdoorschoolreport_0.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Winter — Risk Assessment as a Life Skill

Nature-based learning teaches students to notice hazards, set boundaries, and make wise choices—without shutting down curiosity. This kind of guided risk literacy supports confidence and safer decision-making over time. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://www.weareteachers.com/winter-outdoor-learning/

Late Winter — Micro-Signs of Change

As winter loosens its grip, students can practice “seasonal noticing” by tracking buds, bird calls, and shifting light. These small observations cultivate patience, hope, and a relationship to place. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassrooms.com/blog/outdoor-classroom-activities-for-every-season/

Late Winter — Melt/Freeze Experiments

Freeze-thaw cycles are hands-on physics: students can predict, test, and record what happens to water, soil, and surfaces over time. Add a journaling layer so kids practice turning observations into evidence. Resources: https://outdoorclassrooms.com/blog/outdoor-classroom-activities-for-every-season/ + https://www.weareteachers.com/winter-outdoor-learning/

SPRING

Spring — Growth Mindset in Real Time

Spring is the season of “not yet”: seeds, sprouts, and slow change that rewards steady care. Gardening (even in containers) makes perseverance visible and gives students meaningful responsibility. Resources: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Outdoorschoolreport_0.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Spring — Awareness Skills & Sensory Mapping

Spring sensory mapping (sound, color, texture) strengthens attention and descriptive language while helping students feel grounded in their bioregion. It’s a simple way to support whole-child learning—mind, body, and heart. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Spring — Pollinators & Reciprocity

Pollinator walks and habitat “tiny actions” teach reciprocity: we notice what supports life, then we give something back. Students learn stewardship as a practice, not a poster. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Spring — Phenology (Seasonal Science Journals)

Phenology journals help students track patterns across weeks—buds, blooms, insects, and weather—building scientific thinking through repetition. This is ecological citizenship: learning your place well enough to notice change. Resources: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Outdoorschoolreport_0.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Spring — Cooperative Play That Builds Skills

Outdoor cooperative games create natural opportunities for negotiation, fairness, and leadership—without the social pressure of indoor “circle talk.” Keep the debrief short and real: “What helped us stay connected?” Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Spring — Scavenger Hunts with Purpose

A spring scavenger hunt can be more than a checklist: ask students to find evidence of relationships (food, shelter, water, pollination). That shift moves learning from “things” to “systems.” Resources: https://www.teacherlists.com/blog/15-outdoor-classroom-activities/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Spring — Soil as a Living Community

Soil investigations (texture tests, decomposition observations, worm counts where appropriate) help students understand interdependence and cycles. It’s a grounded way to teach systems thinking and care. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Spring — Storytelling from the More-Than-Human World

Invite students to write or draw from the perspective of a bud, a robin, or a creek—then anchor it with real observations. This both/and blend supports literacy while deepening attention and empathy. Resources: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9149177/ + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/2018/01/17/seven-everyday-outdoor-lesson-ideas/

Spring — Movement, Regulation, and Readiness

Outdoor learning gives kids the movement their nervous systems crave, which can improve focus and participation when they return indoors. A simple routine—move, notice, share—keeps it predictable and inclusive. Resources: https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/Outdoorschoolreport_0.pdf + https://www.weareteachers.com/winter-outdoor-learning/

Spring — Cultivation as Community Practice

Spring is a great time to make care visible: tending a class garden, restoring a small area, or adopting a “leave it better” routine after outdoor time. Students learn that belonging comes with responsibility—and that small actions add up. Resources: https://informalscience.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Review-of-research-on-outdoor-learning.pdf + https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

Winter

Spring