Psychological Benefits of Attending Forest School for Preschool Children: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Forest school is a form of outdoor learning that takes children into regular and repeated learning experiences in natural settings. Being based on a comprehensive experience with nature, it is assumed to be beneficial for learning and to promote restorative effects on cognitive and emotional function in preschool children. This review aimed to examine the available evidence on the benefits of forest school compared to indoor school activities in children aged 3 to 6 years. We searched for studies on forest school for preschool children in PsycInfo, JSTOR, and Scopus, with no restriction on publication year. The risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs’s criteria for quasi-experimental design. Of the 190 articles identified, 16 studies were reviewed (N = 1560). Higher benefits were found in children attending forest school compared to those attending indoor school in various areas of child development: cognitive function, motor coordination and balance, connectedness to nature, and health and well-being outcomes. There is, however, still a shortage of empirical evidence, and the methodological quality of most studies was limited. The literature on forest schools for preschool children in general supports positive effects in a wide range of variables that promote child health and development, but more evidence is needed to assess their effectiveness. Due to the methodological weaknesses of the reviewed studies, one should interpret their findings with caution.

The development of an interdisciplinary theoretical framework for Forest School in the United Kingdom

“…Taken together, these studies represent the growing body of evidence to support delivery of Forest School in a range of settings and with diverse populations, which has been reflected by the growing number of systematic reviews on the topic (Dabaja, 2022a(Dabaja, , 2022bGarden & Downes, 2023a;Harris, 2022;Sella et al, 2023). These studies tend to speak to the benefits of Forest School for participants.…”

“…The focus of much research relating to Forest School has been an examination of the benefits to participants (Knight, 2011a, 2011b, 2011c), and this has been demonstrated through a number of recent systematic reviews (see Dabaja, 2022a, 2022b; Garden & Downes, 2023a; Harris, 2022; Sella et al., 2023).…”

“…In their systematic review, Sella et al. (2023) specifically examine the psychological impact of Forest School on preschool children. They indicate that exposure to Forest School on a regular basis can benefit young children's psychological resilience, their motor and physical development, creativity and problem‐solving, and connection to nature.…”

Promoting Subjective Well-Being and a Sustainable Lifestyle in Children and Youth by Strengthening Their Personal Psychological Resources

“…With these rules in mind, caregivers and teachers could teach children from an early age onward to be aware of their personal psychological resources and to strengthen them. Learning to enjoy food through sufficient time for meals and teachers as role models [126] and regular walks in forests and parks with a mindful sensory experience of flora and fauna [127], for example, can be organized in nearly every preschool, kindergarten, or school alongside explaining the basics of ecologically sustainable behavior [128,129]. Forest schools provide an opportunity to teach primary and secondary school students not only about the climate crisis and ecologically sustainable behavior but also to instill solidarity and social responsibility in them [130].…”

I-MovE. An intervention to promote movement at childcare centers: Benefits for motor cognitive and socio-emotional development

“…Particularly, previous literature suggested that being involved in structured motor intervention activities may bring benefits, especially for the development of the motor and cognitive domain (e.g., gross motor abilities, locomotor skills; [ 7 , 49 ]). Finally, it is well-established that outdoor educational activities bring benefits to children’s development [ 6 , 9 ]. Based on this empirical foundation, structured motor activities conducted outdoors, in green space, in a group of nursery children should be much more beneficial for the development of cognitive and socio-emotional competencies.…”