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Exploring the Benefits of Udeskole and Forest School
Many parents have fond memories of their childhoods spent outside – making mud pies, making perfume from petals, climbing trees, and building dens. However, childhood today often looks vastly different. With children now spending an average of 4 to 6 hours a day on screens, and reports concluding that 12% of children in the UK had not visited a natural environment in the preceding year, the need for outdoor play is greater than ever. At Kids Planet, we want to give this gift back to today’s children so they can have these lovely memories.
The health and wellbeing benefits of being outside are just huge. Research shared by our Outdoor Lead, Rhiannon Scott, reveals that when children are outside:
Cortisol levels drop by 40 per cent; children produce more serotonin; and there is “all the good stuff” the immune system receives from playing in the mud.
Our approach was inspired by the Danish way of doing things. In Denmark, one of the happiest countries in the world, spending time outdoors is a way of life from birth. Rhiannon Scott noted that when parents arrive at Danish forest nurseries, they don’t just pick up their kids and leave; they sit around the campfire and get involved while children play.
Translating as “outdoor school,” Udeskole makes outdoor learning an integral part of day-to-day practice rather than a rare event.
Our teams work toward an authentic accreditation that requires them to show how they collaborate with parents and the local community to make nature a way of life.
While Udeskole focuses on daily habits, Forest School takes Preschool children into wilder environments for open-ended exploration.
These sessions involve den building, foraging, and splashes in puddles, helping children who may struggle with structured indoor activities to thrive.
Promotes Risk Awareness: Challenging play, like climbing trees, rolling down hills, and jumping, allows children to discover physical limits and build resilience to life’s challenges under careful supervision.
Expands Language & Concepts: Feeling the environment creates an intuitive understanding of complex words like “squish,” “fluttering,” and “squirming,” while observing natural changes like ice melting boosts problem-solving.
Supports Physical Health: Exposure to natural light regulates sleep cycles and boosts Vitamin D, while open spaces encourage vigorous movements like running and balancing for cardiovascular health.
Builds Empathy & Mindfulness: Sessions encourage children to listen closely to their environment or find space to lie down, improving social skills and building respect for wildlife and others.
The Outdoor Play Deficit: Our Nationwide Study
Did you know that only 24% of 0-5 year olds are getting daily outdoor playtime at home? We surveyed parents across the UK to understand the barriers to nature-based play and the impact it has on family wellbeing.
Whatever the time of year, we head outside. Typical activities across our settings include:
Nature Hunts
Foraging for plants and natural treasures.
Imaginative Building
Constructing dens, shelters, and obstacles.
Messy Play
Hands-on fun in dedicated mud kitchens.
Gardening
Planting vegetables and flowers.
Physical Sports
Football, rugby, and ride-on equipment.
Listen to our Outdoor Lead, Rhiannon Scott, on Episode 17 of our Podcast as she discusses the Udeskole mindset and the powerful Persil ‘Dirt is Good’ campaign.
Experience our outdoor environments in person. Find your closest setting below.
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