Forest schools don’t actually boost most children’s mental health

Health

Swapping classrooms for the woods doesn’t appear to improve most children’s mental health, but they may still enjoy it

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre


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Children in Quebec, Canada, taking part in the Open Sky School programme

Children in Quebec, Canada, taking part in the Open Sky School programme

Nathanael Corre/École à Ciel Ouvert

Forest schools, where students spend some of their time learning outside, seem to have no immediate benefits to most children’s mental health, but could help those with pre-existing mental health issues.

These schools are popular in parts of Europe and North America, with research suggesting that spending time in nature can improve children’s behavioural and emotional problems.

To test the effects of having classes in nature, …

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