Spring is such a wonderful time for kids to enjoy hands-on learning in the great outdoors! The possibilities are nearly limitless, just like the rewards that come with them. Some fantastic benefits of taking education outside include connecting kids with nature, sparking their creativity, and helping them remember what they learn even better.
Getting outside as the weather warms was once commonplace. Spring signaled the season for flying kites, riding bikes, and sloshing in mud puddles. As soon as the snow melted, kids literally hit the ground running. British-born American poet Edgar Guest even wrote, “Spring’s greatest joy without a doubt is when it brings the children out.”
However, a few years ago the Outward Bound outdoor adventure program reported in a blog post that “the average American child spends 5-8 hours a day in front of a screen” but “American children spend 4-7 minutes on average per day in unstructured outdoor play.” In our digital world, some screen time is unavoidable and even beneficial, but not all screen time is the same. Those figures represent an undeniably stark contrast. It’s time to get kids outside again and learning.
Explore the benefits of outdoor learning for kids
Spending time outdoors is highly beneficial for children. According to the Child Mind Institute article, “Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature,” “Many researchers agree that kids who play outside are happier, better at paying attention, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors.” It adds that unstructured time outside is confidence-building. In general, time spent outside delivers benefits in three key areas:
- Cognitive benefits: Improved focus, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
- Physical benefits: Motor skills development, exercise, and coordination.
- Emotional & social benefits: Increased curiosity, teamwork, and resilience.
Among the terrific range of seasonal activities are spring crafts for kids, educational outdoor games, and family learning experiences. Some focus on specific academic skills and subject areas, while others develop multiple strengths. Parents and educators can blend structured learning with more free-form exploration. Taking typically “indoor” learning tools and activities to designated spaces or tables offers another approach to outdoor learning activities.
STEM in the Sun: Science & Math Activities
Nature Scavenger Hunt: Identify patterns, colors, and shapes in nature.
Counting with Rocks & Leaves: Use natural objects for hands-on math games.
Shadow Tracing Science Experiment: Understand light and time with shadows.
DIY Weather Station: Observe seasonal changes through temperature, wind, and rain tracking.
Creative Literacy & Language Activities Outdoors
Sidewalk Chalk Storytelling: Create and illustrate short stories with sidewalk chalk.
Outdoor Reading Nook: Set up a cozy space for reading outside.
Nature Poetry Walk: Write poems inspired by the sounds, sights, and smells of spring.
Letter Hunts: Find objects that start with specific letters in an alphabet adventure.
Arts, Crafts & Music Inspired by Nature
Leaf & Flower Pressing: Create beautiful, natural bookmarks or art projects. Here is one how-to from Red Ted Art.
DIY Bird Feeders: Learn about wildlife while crafting a feeder. Check out Happy Gardens’ “10 Great DIY Bird Feeder Ideas for Kids,” of varying complexity.
Painting with Nature: Use leaves, sticks, and flowers as paintbrushes.
Spring Soundscapes: Identify and mimic outdoor sounds for a music-inspired activity. They could even start learning to speak “bird language” with a video like this “Learn 30 Spring Common Backyard Bird Songs and Calls," from Badgerland Birding, focused on the Central and Eastern U.S.. It includes easy-to-remember mnemonics like the indigo bunting saying, “fire, fire; where, where; here, here."
Physical & Social Learning through Outdoor Play
Educational Obstacle Courses: Build motor skills while following directional challenges.
Teamwork Games: Design relay races, scavenger hunts, and cooperative play to build social skills.
Garden-Based Learning: Teach responsibility and patience by growing flowers or vegetables.
Historical Role Play in Nature: Act out historical scenes or stories outside.
School Zone Resources to Supplement Outdoor Education
Big Workbook Series – Engage kids in skill-building activities that can be paired with nature-based learning. Of special note is the Big Science 2-3 Workbook for second and third graders, available in both a traditional format and a spiral-bound format, which lays flat, making it ideal to use on the grass or on a picnic table.
Flash Cards & Activity Cards – Take math, phonics, and science flash cards outdoors for an active, on-the-go learning experience. As a start, try Animals of All Kinds Flash Cards also available in a bilingual Spanish-English version or Animal Alphabet Pop-Up Learning Cards.
Hidden Pictures & Puzzle Books – Perfect for quiet moments in an outdoor reading nook, reinforcing critical thinking skills. Get kids focusing closely and practicing visual discernment skills too, with this slender easy-to-tuck-in-a-backpack My First Hidden Pictures tablet workbook for preschoolers and kindergartners. Or get them thinking with the companion My First Codes & Puzzles Workbook.
Write & Reuse Learning Workbooks – Great for practicing letters, numbers, and problem-solving while on a nature walk. Write & Reuse Workbooks, whether individually or part of learning sets, create easy do-overs that encourage practice and build confidence.
Anywhere Teacher App – Digital resources, interactive lessons, and printables can be used anywhere—classroom, backyard, or park. It even has outdoor-themed activities like the Big Day of Play storybook that also teaches about emotions, songs like “A Beautiful Day at the Ball Park” and “I Love to Play,” flash cards about weather phenomena, and videos about the life cycles of a frog, a monarch butterfly, and an apple tree.
Take early childhood education outside and see the payoff
Families and educators who embrace outdoor learning this spring are truly setting kids up for success! The Natural Playgrounds blog posted results of a National Wildlife Federation report on time kids spend outdoors at school and at home. Summarized by Mary Burnette, those results included reduced ADHD, improved classroom behavior, and better performance in math, science, reading, and social studies, among many others.
As we learn more about the importance of nature-based education and, in general, the good “medicine” of sunshine and fresh air, it’s clear that kids benefit physically, socially, and academically from interactive learning outside. They can get hands-on STEM lessons and be inspired to create works of art. Whether navigating an obstacle course, doing flash cards, or working on a workbook on a picnic table, the rewards are significant.
Explore School Zone Publishing resources for more fun and educational activities that complement outdoor learning experiences.
