5 Benefits of Outdoor Learning
If you’ve ever witnessed a class full of students released outdoors to play on the playground, you’ve seen the magnetic pull that nature has on children. The immediate boost to a child’s mood that occurs when they are outside is proof of nature’s impact on our physical and emotional well-being.
Our small, tuition-free schools were founded on the belief that the outdoors is the best classroom for children. We are committed to providing opportunities for everyone to thrive and grow outdoors and we’ve recently completed a beautiful update to our TK outdoor play yard, complete with logs for balancing, sand for digging, and plenty of natural materials for collecting. Plans are also in the works to renovate the rest of the Aveson School of Leaders play areas. From TK-12th grade, we spend large parts of the day outdoors engaging in both playful and formal learning opportunities. Here’s why:
1. Outdoor learning strengthens social skills
Spending time outdoors creates opportunities for “teachable moments” between friends and classmates - a puddle provides an opportunity to build a bridge, a squabble over the rules of a game sharpens peacemaking skills, and creating a natural rock obstacle course develops collaborative skills. Our TK-5 students at Aveson School of Leaders have ample time to engage in unstructured play- where children take the lead in organizing and directing the play - growing confidence, independence, and empathy among other pro-social skills.
2. Outdoor learning provides an immediate mood boost
Too much time spent indoors has been proven to not only harm our physical health but also our mental health. A recent study showed that preschoolers living near green spaces have better mental health, while a 2010 study from Japan showed that walking in a forest resulted in a decrease in cortisol, lower blood pressure and pulse rate, and better nerve activity. Being outdoors awakens our children’s senses and helps them to return to the classroom feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the school day.
3. Outdoor learning develops strong bodies
Climbing rocks, hiking in the beautiful hills near our campus, and running through grass helps children strengthen bones and muscles and develop motor skills like balance and coordination. It also exposes them to fresh air, vitamin D, and diverse environments early in life that may help them develop robust immune systems. A bonus is that parents report that their children sleep better at night after spending time outdoors during the day!
4. Outdoor learning creates strong minds
Outdoor learning honors the way a child naturally learns. A child who observes how water moves and then carves a path through the dirt so it flows, fundamentally understands force and motion. A group of children who turn a rock into a ship are practicing creative thinking and decision-making skills. Outdoor play stimulates a child’s imagination, grows problem-solving skills, and cultivates curiosity, skills that translate into traditional subject-based learning and, ultimately, stronger academic achievement.
5. Outdoor learning grows an appreciation for nature
When our children are exposed to nature’s beauty, they are more likely to develop an appreciation for the world around them and their responsibility within it. We are fortunate to live near abundant beautiful landscapes and we frequently take our students on field trips, such as our 5th grade Rite of Passage trip to Catalina, that give students the opportunity to explore nature in new ways - like kayaking, snorkeling and rock climbing. Coupled with growing our own food at school during our gardening enrichment class and caring for our chickens, our students become stewards of the natural world who care for and protect our environment.
Want to get your child outdoors more? Aveson School of Leaders (TK-5) and Aveson Global Leadership Academy (6-12) are enrolling for a tuition-free the 2025-26 school year.
About Aveson Schools
Since 2007, Aveson Schools have been nurturing the curiosity and potential of TK-12th grade students in Altadena with a tuition-free transformative education. Our two campuses, Aveson School of Leaders (TK-5) and Aveson Global Leadership Academy (6th-12th), provide boundless opportunities for students to discover their passions through award-winning arts instruction, outdoor experiential learning, preparation for college and global travel opportunities in a welcoming and inclusive school community. Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is open now. Get to Know Aveson: A School of Possibilities.