Being in and around nature is good for you! Improving your school grounds for wildlife will not only make it a more attractive environment for students and staff, it will have many additional benefits for the whole school community - as well as wildlife.
Nature is good for you!
Benefits to your school community
There are many potential benefits of increasing opportunities to interact with nature in schools. These include better concentration, improved mental health, social benefits and even increased progress/ higher levels of achievement.
Concentration
Being close to nature can help to clear the mind and recharge the brain. This can help with mental fatigue which can negatively affect how children perform. Increased levels of concentration can help a child to listen to teachers, work out their own ideas and complete work efficiently.
Improved Mental Health
Being close to nature has also been scientifically proven to positively impact mental health, giving children a happier perspective towards school and even going so far as to help with depression and anxiety. It can improve and enhance a child’s creativity, meaning that they can feel more pride in their work and creations. Interactions with nature can also reduce some of the negative psychological effects of stressful urban environments.
Higher levels of
achievement
Being in nature can help children to look past immediate surroundings and think outside the box, assisting them in seeing hidden meanings in books, better ways to solve maths problems and incredible ways to create theories and carry out investigations to test them. This develops the mind, meaning its easier for them to adapt to new environments, improve their meta cognition and give them problem solving abilities.
Social benefits
Being in nature with other people can promote social interactions, reduce isolation and helps friendship networks to develop.