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Where it all began
​"Forest School", "Nature School" and "Open‑Air Learning"
Insight into three kindred approaches - where they come from, how they differ, and how each helps children thrive in the living classroom of nature.
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Forest School in the UK drew inspiration from decades of outdoor learning in Scandinavia. The Danish Udeskole movement normalised weekly learning beyond school walls, while Norway’s cultural value of friluftsliv - an “outdoor life” ethos - framed time in nature as vital to wellbeing.
Forest School
A gentle rhythm of child-led learning in nature, guided by caring, skilled mentors. Nurtures curiosity, confidence and connection through exploration, supported risk-taking and quiet reflection.
Best for: Ongoing weekly journeys that deepen a child’s bond with people and place.
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Explore Forest School Association
Nature School
A wide-open invitation to learn with the land, from beaches to deserts, parks to meadows. Weaving local ecology, care for place, and the turning of the seasons into every lesson.
Best for: Communities without vast forests, or for programmes that wander through many kinds of wild and wonderful spaces.
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Explore Natural Start Alliance
Open Air Learning
A Scandinavian way of bringing everyday lessons into the living classroom of the outdoors, inspired by friluftsliv - “open-air living.” Blends curriculum goals with fresh air, movement, and a sense of belonging to the natural world.
Best for: Schools weaving regular outdoor sessions into weekly learning across subjects.
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Explore Udeundervisning.dk · Concept paper
“The forest is not a classroom - it is a living, breathing teacher.”
💚 Why It Matters
Whether it’s called Forest School, Nature School, Open-Air School, or Outdoor Kindergarten, the heart of this movement remains the same: a belief that nature is not a luxury, but a necessity for healthy development.
These approaches remind us that learning doesn’t just happen within four walls. It happens when the wind carries questions through the trees, when mud becomes a canvas, and when a child’s laughter echoes under an open sky.