Teaching outdoors can feel unpredictable and that’s part of its beauty. The natural world doesn’t follow the same structure as a classroom, and neither do the students once they step outside. Managing a class in an unstructured space isn’t about control; it’s about creating rhythms of trust, safety, and shared responsibility that let curiosity unfold naturally.
Research shows that when students are given opportunities to explore freely in nature, they demonstrate higher engagement, cooperation, and intrinsic motivation (Mann et al., 2022). The key is balancing freedom with structure — giving enough boundaries to support safety, while allowing flexibility for discovery.
1. Shift from Control to Connection
Traditional management often relies on control — seating plans, routines, and proximity. Outdoors, you trade proximity for presence. Connection becomes your strongest classroom management tool.
Start with clear expectations, but co-create them with your students. Ask, “What helps us learn safely outside?” and “What does respect for this space look like?” When children help build the norms, they’re more likely to uphold them (Shanker, 2017).
Connection also means noticing and naming what you value — curiosity, kindness, risk-taking, or care for the land. These small acknowledgments build a classroom culture where students regulate themselves and each other.
2. Establish Predictable Rhythms
Outdoor learning works best when there’s a familiar flow such as a beginning, middle, and end that students can rely on. This doesn’t mean rigid scheduling, but recognizable patterns.
Try a simple rhythm like:
- Gather: Begin in a circle to review expectations and introduce the activity.
- Explore: Students move into inquiry or play zones.
- Regroup: Call everyone back for reflection or journaling.
Predictability builds a sense of safety, especially for students who struggle with transitions (Herrington et al., 2007). Even unstructured spaces can feel calm and purposeful when routines are consistent.
3. Design the Environment Intentionally
A well-designed outdoor space naturally supports self-regulation and reduces behavioral challenges (CPS, 2024). Define clear physical boundaries — for example, “stay between the fence and the big tree.” Use cones, ropes, or natural markers to create zones for quiet observation, exploration, or collaboration.
Flexible materials also help. Logs, stumps, and loose parts invite creative problem-solving, while natural seating or shade structures provide spots for calm and reflection. A thoughtfully arranged space communicates expectations without many words.
4. Use Co-Regulation as a Management Strategy
Outdoor spaces can be stimulating — noise, wind, uneven ground — and that can dysregulate young learners. Co-regulation means using your calm to anchor their calm (Shanker, 2017).
Instead of escalating correction, try strategies like:
- Taking a collective “breathing moment” before transitions.
- Using a quiet signal (a chime, hand raise, or visual cue).
- Offering sensory resets — noticing five things, grounding feet in the grass, or a short “movement break.”
When students feel emotionally secure, misbehavior decreases, and engagement rises (Children & Nature Network, n.d.).
5. Balance Risk and Responsibility
Unstructured environments come with natural risks — uneven terrain, sticks, or insects. Instead of removing all risks, teach students how to navigate them safely.
Use risk-benefit conversations to build self-awareness:
- “What might happen if we climb this?”
- “What can we do to stay safe?”
- “What do we do if someone gets hurt?”
This approach helps students build judgment and independence, while fostering responsibility for themselves and their peers (CPS, 2024).
6. Reflect Together
Just like indoor learning, outdoor experiences need closure. Gather in a circle and ask:
- “What went well today?”
- “What was challenging?”
- “How did we take care of each other?”
Reflection allows students to process not only what they learned, but how they behaved and collaborated. It also gives you insight into which structures worked and what needs adjustment (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
Final Thoughts
Managing a class outdoors is less about control and more about co-creating community. It’s about shifting from “rules” to relationships, from “management” to mindfulness.
With consistent rhythms, clear boundaries, and shared responsibility, unstructured spaces become rich learning environments where curiosity, independence, and belonging can thrive. As teachers, our role is not to structure the land — but to structure the conditions that allow learning to bloom within it.
🪴 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/
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
Shanker, S. (2017). Self-Reg: How to help your child (and you) break the stress cycle and successfully engage with life. Penguin Random House Canada.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed.). ASCD.