The Forest as a classroom – new study explores the health effects of the forest on children
Can lessons in the forest make children more energetic, calmer, more focused – and happier? This is something researchers at Linnaeus University now aim to find out. In a new study, pupils in the municipality of Vetlanda will move parts of their schoolwork outdoors to a classroom set among spruces and moss-covered stones. "We know that nature has positive effects on health and wellbeing, but there's a lack of research on how the forest affects children in both the short and the long term. This is something we want to change", says Susanne Knutsson, associate professor in caring sciences and one of the researchers leading the project.
Schoolwork outdoors
At Ekenässjön School in Vetlanda, a small woodland grove just behind the school has been designated as a “school forest” and outdoor classroom. Here, a third-grade class will spend two afternoons each week having lessons in a variety of subjects – but with the forest as their setting.
The teaching methods draw on the national programme “Skogen i skolan” (The Forest in School). Within the project, this serves as part of a small-scale intervention study in which researchers will follow pupils’ health, well-being, and experiences of the forest for several years, all the way up to sixth grade.
As a comparison, another school in Vetlanda is also participating – but its pupils will not have outdoor lessons. Instead, they will only respond to the same questionnaires, giving the researchers a basis for comparison. In addition, schools in several Swedish cities have been invited to take part, enabling researchers to see whether differences emerge between urban and rural children.
Hopes for more energetic, confident, and curious children
Expectations are high: that children will feel less tired during the school day, experience fewer headaches, become calmer, and gain a stronger sense of confidence – especially those who struggle to sit still in a traditional classroom.
"Some children get an entirely new chance to succeed when they are allowed to move around and be outdoors. They can feel that 'I can do this too'”, says Charlotta Håkansson, co-researcher in the project and senior lecturer at the Department of Forestry and Wood Technology.
The researchers also want to see whether early contact with nature can foster an interest in caring for and protecting the forest – and perhaps even inspire future career choices connected to forestry and wood.
Benefits for the whole school
Although only one class is formally part of the study, the entire Ekenässjön School will be able to use the forest classroom. Parents are also invited to take part in the project through information evenings, forest visits, and even hotdog barbecues in the school forest.
"Regardless of the final results, the children now have a place where they can learn and play in nature. That in itself is a win", concludes Susanne Knutsson.
The first lessons in the school forest begin this autumn. The results from the pilot study are expected to provide new knowledge about how the forest can be part of preventive health care – starting as early as childhood.
When knowledge meets, new ideas grow
The project is part of The Bridge, a strategic partnership between Linnaeus University, IKEA and Södra focusing on innovation and sustainability linked to forestry and wood. It also involves a unique collaboration between Linnaeus University’s Department of Health and Caring Sciences and Department of Forestry and Wood Technology – a combination crucial for the project’s success.
"It is unique to connect children’s health with the values of the forest in this way. We want to show that the forest is not just a resource – it's an environment that can contribute to both wellbeing and learning", says Maria Koldestam, co-researcher and senior lecturer at the Department of Health and Caring Sciences.
More information
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The research project is a collaboration between the Department of Health and Caring Sciences and the Department of Forestry and Wood Technology at Linnaeus University, and is funded in part by IKEA and Södra.
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Susanne Knutsson’s position is financed within The Bridge – a strategic partnership between Linnaeus University, Södra, and IKEA.