What Are the Benefits of Forest School for Early Childhood Development?

Why outdoor learning helps young children thrive and why a hybrid approach like Woodland Wonders offers the best of both worlds, blending forest school with EYFS nursery education

As parents, choosing the right early years environment is a significant decision and one that involves multiple considerations spanning childcare, values, development, wellbeing and the experiences that will shape your child during their most formative years. Increasingly, parents are exploring approaches that go beyond the classroom, with forest school high on the list.

For many parents, the idea of learning outdoors evokes a feeling of nostalgia; memories of freedom, curiosity and joy. But unlike just ‘playing outside,’ forest school does indeed go further and is in fact a well-researched, child-centred way of learning that helps children grow holistically. In a world where many children spend less time outdoors than ever before, the benefits of forest school are both powerful and increasingly necessary.

At Kidz Kabin, outdoor learning is not a trend we have adopted recently. It is a philosophy we have lived for years, with all of our nursery settings experienced in forest school activities. For Spring 2026, we have taken a further step and will be launching our new Woodland Wonders programme. This unique hybrid approach blends forest school with the structure and consistency of outstanding, traditional EYFS nursery education.

This article explores the science behind forest school, why a hybrid model matters and how Woodland Wonders has been carefully designed to support confident, curious learners. For parents weighing up different early years approaches, our Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Nursery for Your Child explores how environments, relationships and rhythms children experience daily play a critical role in their long term development.

What Is Forest School and Why Does It Matter in the Early Years?

Forest school originated in Scandinavia and has become a widely respected approach to early years learning in the UK and beyond. It emphasises regular, child-centred access to natural spaces, where children explore, create and problem-solve in woodland settings under the guidance of trained practitioners.

Unlike a traditional classroom, forest schools use natural materials and the environment itself as tools for learning. Children are encouraged to take supported risks, make choices and follow their interests, leading to deep, meaningful learning that has a positive impact on children’s physical, emotional and cognitive development.

According to Forest School Association UK, regular outdoor learning supports resilience, independence and self confidence while strengthening emotional wellbeing and social skills. Supporting research can be referenced from:

• Forest School Association UK

• Forest Research UK: Impact of Forest Schools on Young Children

• Early Years Alliance

Unlike one-off outdoor experiences, forest school is most effective when it is consistent, intentional and led by trained practitioners who deeply understand child development.

The Proven Benefits of Forest School for Young Children

Physical Development and Health

Outdoor learning naturally promotes movement. Climbing, balancing, lifting, running and navigating uneven terrain all develop core strength, coordination and spatial awareness. These natural movements support both gross and fine motor development in ways indoor environments cannot replicate. Children who spend regular time outdoors also benefit from fresh air, varied sensory experiences and natural challenges that stimulate their bodies and minds.

Forest Research UK highlights that children who engage regularly in outdoor learning demonstrate improved physical confidence and stamina, alongside healthier activity habits that extend beyond early years.

Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience

Nature has a calming effect on the nervous system. Studies consistently show that time spent outdoors reduces stress and anxiety in young children, supporting emotional regulation and resilience. Because forest school allows children to explore at their own pace and face manageable challenges, they build an inner sense of confidence, self-control and courage.

These experiences are particularly valuable during the preschool years, when emotional foundations are still forming.

Social Skills and Collaboration

Forest school settings are rich with opportunities for children to collaborate and work together, whether it be building shelters, solving problems or exploring natural materials. Although it may not be obvious to them, the children are learning essential communication skills, empathy, negotiation and cooperation; all skills they will carry into different areas of life.

According to research published by the Early Years Foundation, these shared outdoor experiences strengthen peer relationships and support positive behaviour back in indoor learning environments.

Cognitive Development, Focus and Creativity

Forest school naturally invites inquiry and observation, with children hypothesising and experimenting through hands-on exploration such as observing plant growth or estimating how many sticks are needed to build a shelter.

These experiences support problem solving, critical thinking and creativity. In fact, research into attention restoration theory also suggests that natural environments help improve focus and concentration and support learning readiness when children return to more structured activities and formal schooling.

This is particularly relevant at a time when many young children are exposed to screens earlier and more frequently than ever before. Research suggests that regular access to natural environments can help counterbalance some of the impacts of increased screen use by supporting attention, self-regulation and imaginative play. We explore this in more depth in our article Screen Time for Babies and Toddlers: What the Research Really Says and Why Early Habits Matter, which looks at how early experiences shape children’s focus, wellbeing and learning patterns.

Language Development Through Real Experiences

Forest school environments are ripe for rich language development. Sensory experiences stimulate conversation, expand vocabulary and spark storytelling. Children are practising expressive and receptive language in context, whether they describe the texture of bark, narrate how they built a structure or chat about a woodland creature. These are all key EYFS indicators for early communication skills.

Connection to Nature and Long-Term Habits

Forest school encourages a lasting relationship with the natural world. Children who regularly learn in outdoor settings develop a deep respect, care and curiosity for the environment itself. Early nature connection can nurture environmentally responsible habits and a lifelong appreciation of the natural world that continues into adulthood.

Why Woodland Wonders Is a Hybrid Programme and Why That Matters

While the benefits of forest school are clear, many parents also recognise the importance of structure, routine and continuity in early years education. This is exactly why Woodland Wonders was created.

Woodland Wonders is a hybrid forest school and EYFS nursery programme, designed specifically for children aged 3 to 5 years. Children attend forest school three days per week (Wednesday – Friday), spending mornings immersed in local woodland learning and afternoons back in the Pembroke Studios nursery environment.

This balance is intentional.

Children experience the freedom, movement and curiosity of forest school without it becoming overwhelming or physically demanding every day. Afternoons in nursery provide consistency, emotional security, peer relationships and access to early literacy, maths and communication development within a familiar EYFS framework.

For many children, this blend offers the best of both worlds:

• Deep outdoor learning

• Predictable routines

• Nursery-based EYFS learning, activities and warm, home-cooked meals

• A smooth transition into school readiness

  
  

By blending forest school with EYFS nursery education, Woodland Wonders supports children’s physical confidence, emotional regulation, language development, social skills and problem-solving abilities, all while respecting each child’s individual pace of development. For parents interested in how this aligns with early years expectations, our EYFS Milestones Guide and Learning Through Play articles explore this in more detail.

You can explore the full structure and vision of the programme on our Woodland Wonders page.

Forest School Is Not New to Kidz Kabin

Trust matters when choosing a nursery or programme. Woodland Wonders is built on years of lived experience, and not just theory.

Founder and owner of Kidz Kabin, Linda Symons, is a fully qualified Early Years Teacher and Forest School Leader and Trainer, bringing nature-led learning to life for Kidz Kabin children. Linda also leads her highly regarded after-school and holiday-camp forest school sessions for primary school aged children across local woodland spaces in Muswell Hill, north London.

These programmes operate under Forest School Kidz Kabin and are separate to Woodland Wonders, although together, they highlight Kidz Kabin’s long-standing commitment to outdoor education and practitioner expertise.

Linda's experience has shaped Woodland Wonders from the ground up, carefully adapting forest school principles to suit nursery aged children while ensuring safety, developmentally appropriate activities and emotional support.

Final Thought

Forest school offers extraordinary benefits, but for many families, balance is key. Woodland Wonders was created to offer children meaningful outdoor learning without sacrificing routine, consistency or early years structure.

It is a thoughtful, evidence-informed response to what children truly need: outdoor space to explore, trusted relationships and environments that nurture confidence, curiosity and wellbeing.

As we explore further in our Guide to Choosing the Right Nursery for Your Child, the most important factors remain; relationships, responsiveness and trust. Woodland Wonders brings these together, grounded in experience, research and a deep understanding of how young children learn best.