Outdoor learning doesn’t need a forest or a big budget — it needs purpose, care, and thoughtful design. Research consistently shows that regular time outside supports attention, physical activity, social-emotional growth, and overall well-being for children (Mann et al., 2022; Children & Nature Network, n.d.). It can also improve classroom behavior and deepen students’ connection to the natural world (Canadian Paediatric Society [CPS], 2024).
Below is a step-by-step guide to creating an outdoor classroom that is safe, inclusive, and sustainable.
1. Begin with Purpose and Place
Start by identifying your learning goals and your place. Backward design helps align daily choices with deeper outcomes (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). If you teach on the lands of local First Peoples, center relationship and reciprocity. The First Peoples Principles of Learning emphasize learning that is holistic, experiential, and connected to community and place (First Nations Education Steering Committee [FNESC], 2006/2007).
Quick start: Write one sentence about your purpose, then map two or three nearby outdoor spaces you can use often.
2. Audit and Choose Your Site
Do a simple site walk. Note sun, shade, noise, and accessibility. The Natural Learning Initiative (Herrington et al., 2007) recommends clear gathering areas, sightlines, and flexible zones that evolve through the seasons.
Quick start: Mark a gathering circle, an exploration zone, and a quiet reflection spot using logs or cones.
3. Design for Safety Using a Risk-Benefit Approach
Risk is part of healthy development. Instead of avoiding all risk, balance the benefits of challenge with sensible precautions. This “risk-benefit assessment” approach, endorsed by the CPS (2024), encourages teachers to identify learning benefits, note hazards, and manage them responsibly.
Quick start: Create a one-page risk-benefit plan for your main outdoor routines and review it each term.
4. Plan Simple Infrastructure and Materials
Think “grab-and-go.” A bin or backpack with clipboards, pencils, magnifiers, tarps, and a small first-aid kit covers most activities. The Seven Cs guide (Herrington et al., 2007) suggests designing spaces with character, clarity, and change — key for engagement and child development.
Quick start: Make laminated “notice-wonder-feel” cards so every student has an entry point for inquiry.
5. Establish Routines, Roles, and Agreements
Strong routines create safety and predictability. The Children & Nature Network (n.d.) notes that consistent, repeated outdoor experiences improve engagement and self-regulation. Co-create agreements about boundaries, care for the land, and how to manage hazards.
Quick start: Practice “exit drills” — moving outside calmly with journals and supplies in under two minutes.
6. Make It Inclusive by Design
Inclusive design begins with access and choice. Outdoor environments that offer varied seating, quiet corners, and sensory regulation options support participation for all learners (Herrington et al., 2007; Mann et al., 2022). Provide multiple ways to show learning — through sketches, oral sharing, or photographs.
Quick start: Rotate roles such as observer, recorder, and collector to build confidence for everyone.
7. Plan for Weather and Seasons
Weather is part of the curriculum. Set a clothing plan with families and use natural shelters creatively. Regional educator guides recommend aligning outdoor experiences with science, literacy, and art outcomes throughout the year (Metro Vancouver, 2020).
Quick start: Post a “today’s plan” board that lists temperature, wind, meeting spot, and a backup option.
8. Communicate with Families and Colleagues
Transparency builds trust. Share your goals, routines, and safety approach at the start of the year. The CPS (2024) encourages educators to explain how outdoor learning supports physical and emotional health and how risks are balanced with benefits.
Quick start: Send a short “Outdoor Learning Overview” outlining your routines and what students will need.
9. Reflect and Iterate
Outdoor classrooms evolve. Keep a teacher journal of what worked, what to adjust, and what the land taught you. Reflection — both yours and your students’ — deepens learning and improves future planning (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
Quick start: End each session with a two-minute circle: one notice, one wonder, one gratitude.
Why This Matters
Extensive research confirms that nature-based learning enhances attention, motivation, and social-emotional development (Children & Nature Network, n.d.; Mann et al., 2022). When educators design with purpose, invite joy, and manage risk thoughtfully, outdoor classrooms become spaces where learning feels alive, inclusive, and connected to place.
References
Canadian Paediatric Society. (2024, January 25). Healthy childhood development through outdoor risky play [Position statement]. https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/outdoor-risky-play
Children & Nature Network. (n.d.). The benefits of nature. https://www.childrenandnature.org/the-benefits-of-nature/
First Nations Education Steering Committee. (2006/2007). First Peoples Principles of Learning [Poster]. https://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11×17.pdf
Herrington, S., Lesmeister, C., Nicholls, J., & Stefiuk, K. (2007). Seven Cs: An informational guide to young children’s outdoor play spaces. Westcoast Child Care Resource Centre. https://sala.ubc.ca/wp-content/uploads/documents/7Cs.pdf
Mann, J., Gray, T., Truong, S., & Simpson, J. (2022). Getting out of the classroom and into nature: A systematic review of nature-specific outdoor learning and its benefits for personal and social development, wellbeing and academic progress. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 877058. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.877058
Metro Vancouver. (2020). Get outdoors! An educator’s guide to outdoor learning in Metro Vancouver. Metro Vancouver Regional District. https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-parks/teachers
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed.). ASCD.