Outdoor learning has grown in visibility over the past decade. More schools are heading outside, more policies mention it, and more practitioners are curious about what it can offer. Some of us will recognise it as the way we were taught as children, because, as we know, education is cyclical.
And yet, despite this growth, outdoor learning is still widely misunderstood.
One of the biggest barriers schools face is not doing outdoor learning, it’s unpicking what they think it is supposed to look like. So let’s start there.
Here are a few things outdoor learning is not.
Outdoor learning is not a reward
Outdoor learning is not something children “earn” once the real work is finished. Time in the playground helps children moderate their behaviour, both during breaks and in class learning time.
It is not a golden-time treat (or a Play 31 treat) , a Friday afternoon filler, or something that only happens if behaviour has been “good enough”. When outdoor learning is positioned this way, it becomes optional, fragile, and easily removed when pressure rises. It loses its merit and its usefulness. If schools present outdoor learning this way, parents will not see the value in it and, inevitably, won’t send children to school dressed for it.
Outdoor learning is learning. It deserves the same status, planning, and protection as anything delivered indoors. It is a pedagogical tool after all.
Outdoor learning is not unstructured chaos
There’s a persistent myth that outdoor learning is simply letting children run free while adults stand back and hope something educational happens. It may be from the Forest School child led learning approach, but forest school still values the learning.
Good outdoor learning is intentional. It has clear learning purposes, thoughtful prompts, and skilled adult support, even when it looks playful, exploratory, or child-led. We can help guide, develop and support the learning.
Structure doesn’t have to mean worksheets and clipboards (but there is a place for these too!). It means knowing why you are outside, what learning you are supporting, and how children will engage with it.
Outdoor learning is not just Forest School
Forest School is a valuable and well-established approach, and one I am trained in and deliver, but it is not the only way to learn outdoors. Reducing outdoor learning to only Forest School means we risk losing the full magic of what outdoor learning can be.
Outdoor learning does not require a woodland, a fire circle, or specialist kit. It does not even require a green space! It does not have to follow a particular model or badge. It does not need to be child led.
Playgrounds, school grounds, local greenspaces, urban community spaces, streets, and more all offer rich learning opportunities. Outdoor learning is about using place, not chasing an idealised setting. When we are using the place as a tool to support learning, whatever that space may be, we are doing great outdoor learning. Some of the best lessons I have seen outdoors have been in a postage stamp of a concrete playground. We even have a three part blog series on this, you can see part one here.
Outdoor learning is not curriculum-free
Another common misconception is that outdoor learning sits outside the curriculum, something extra, another thing on the too full to do list, rather than something embedded.
In reality, outdoor learning can support literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing, sciences, social studies, expressive arts, and more. In fact, it can support every curricular area and outcome to a greater or lesser extent. It strengthens skills such as problem-solving, communication, collaboration, self-management, and critical thinking. It is brilliant for meta-skills.
Outdoor learning doesn’t dilute the curriculum. Done well, it supports it and even deepens it.
Outdoor learning is not about perfect weather
If outdoor learning only happens on dry, warm, wind-free days, it will rarely happen at all. I mean, we are in Scotland where if you’ve not seen four seasons in a day, it is a rare day.
Learning outdoors includes learning with the seasons, not avoiding them. Rain, cold, wind, and changing light all offer opportunities for observation, adaptation, resilience, and real-world understanding. I am not saying you need to be outside for hours, just twenty minutes, part of a lesson, can make a real difference.
Appropriate clothing, flexible expectations, and realistic planning matter far more than sunshine.
Outdoor learning is not unsafe or irresponsible
Risk is often the unspoken worry behind reluctance to go outside. But, let’s be honest, there are plenty of risks indoors as well. Sharp scissors, blades on pencil sharpeners, children swinging on seats, the list is endless.
Outdoor learning is not about ignoring risk, but it is about understanding it. Children who are supported to assess risk, make decisions, and reflect on consequences develop stronger judgement and self-regulation over time. Yes, it is something a lot of us did as kids but how many kids get unstructured adult free time outdoors to do this?
Avoiding all risk does not keep children safe in the long term. Teaching them how to navigate it does. And, let’s face it, playgrounds are already risk assessed for children. If you would like to read more about risk have a look at our blog Exploring the Nexus of Risk and Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning is not an add-on for “when there’s time”
Perhaps most importantly, outdoor learning is not something to squeeze in once everything else is done. It is not a filler or a bolt on. It is a pedagogical approach to learning. It is a way of teaching and learning that can sit alongside existing practice, not replace it, compete with it, or overwhelm it.
I often describe it as just another tool in our teacher tool box.
Small, regular, realistic steps matter far more than occasional big gestures.
So what is outdoor learning?
Outdoor learning is planned, purposeful learning that uses the outdoor environment to enhance understanding, engagement, wellbeing, and connection.
It is inclusive.
It is flexible.
It is grounded in place.
And it is possible in every school.
When we let go of what outdoor learning is not, we make space for what it truly can be.
