Playing outdoors carries risks – and it's good for kids

When they climb trees, ride bikes at high speeds, or explore the forest, children learn about risk-taking and how to manage uncertainty.

We are currently facing a crisis in youth mental health . One way to improve children's well-being is to allow them to venture out more often and participate in outdoor play.

When climbing trees, building tree houses, riding bikes at high speeds, building rafts, or exploring a forest, children must independently assess which risks to take and which to avoid. This allows them to learn decision-making skills and prepares them to be independent in other situations—such as entering middle school and then high school—rather than relying on adult prompts or direction.

Gradual exposure to uncertainty and risk builds resilience and improves young people's overall well-being. In a study of 622 adolescents, we used questionnaires to measure these aspects before and after their participation in a school trip focused on outdoor activities. We found that their well-being scores increased by 23% and their resilience by 36%.

Outdoor play encourages experimentation and exploration. It helps children develop social skills such as role-playing and cooperation, giving them the tools to overcome future challenges . It fuels their curiosity. Children can feel revitalized by being in nature and being able to play freely, without having to anticipate what will happen.

Facing the unknown

Regular attendance at a forest school or outdoor class is a way for children to venture outside while receiving support to learn to accept risk and develop a healthy relationship with nature .

Forest school or outdoor classroom offers children the opportunity to connect with nature, experience risk, develop social skills, and be active in their learning . These can include activities such as cooking over a campfire, making arts and crafts in nature, or building a cabin. It can be a weekly activity in which children participate for a few hours.

Holiday camps or other longer stays offer other opportunities to experience outdoor learning. They may be organized by a school or club and include a variety of activities, such as orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, and land and sea expeditions. These aim to develop leadership skills, resilience, independence, and confidence . Children are stimulated by exploring unfamiliar environments.

However, to be beneficial , outdoor play must be frequent, progressive, and occur throughout a child's life. The benefits it provides cannot be achieved through a single experience.

One option would be for outdoor classes and outdoor play to be an integral part of children's school life.

Yet today, a school's value remains primarily measured by its performance in a few core subjects. Schools have limited scope to implement a range of activities and games that boost student well-being.

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A shift in mindset is needed for schools to recognize the value of outdoor play and for teachers to be empowered to cultivate this culture of risk-taking inside and beyond school walls.

There have been calls from governments to give all children the opportunity to spend time in nature . But real progress has been slow.

At a time when children are facing unprecedented upheaval, it has never been more important to provide them with daily opportunities to strengthen their ability to cope with uncertainty, and the outdoor experience is fundamental to this.