Outdoor learning in nature significantly increases students' physical activity in most studies, with some null results¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r3 · q3–q4
Currency · newest study 2024 · checked against its sources 2026-10-21 (automated, 2 of 2 entries) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Five of seven studies of outdoor learning in nature found significant positive effects on students' physical activity, including an RCT of school garden lessons. → Vi Ly · Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick 2024

Evidence¶

Vi Ly · Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick 2024¶

Vi Ly · Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick. (2024). Effects of School-led Greenspace Interventions on Mental, Physical and Social Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09963-1

q4 · i? · review · r3

The review reports Wells et al.'s RCT: 115 garden-intervention students versus 112 waitlist controls showed "a significant increase in PA from baseline to post-intervention"; direct observation showed children were more active during outdoor garden lessons than indoor lessons. No effect size is printed.

"Wells et al.'s (2014) Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) reported that 115 primary school students who engaged in school lessons/activities in their school garden, compared to 112 students in the waitlist control, had a significant increase in PA from baseline to post-intervention."

Vi Ly · Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick 2024 (2)¶

Vi Ly · Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick. (2024). Effects of School-led Greenspace Interventions on Mental, Physical and Social Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09963-1

q3 · i? · review · r3

The review reports two null results: Bolling et al.'s quasi-experiment (n = 617) found "a non-significant difference in children's PA levels between learning in greenspace and a traditional school day", and Trapasso et al. found non-significant accelerometer results for 59 students.

"However, Bolling et al. (2021) found a non-significant difference in children's PA levels between learning in greenspace and a traditional school day; and Trapasso et al. (2018) also found non-significant results for weekly forest school lessons on 59 primary school students' total PA levels."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Physical Well-Being — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• The wellbeing effects of school-led nature interventions show a gender effect, with girls benefiting in PA in some studies, but inconclusive findings for age — related
• Greenspace schoolyards increase students' physical activity in most studies, with effects persisting at 16-month follow-up — related
• School-led nature interventions increase positive affect in school students, though not in all studies — related
• Outdoor learning in nature reduces student stress (cortisol decline), but stress-restoration findings are mixed by measure and age — related
• Students perceive diversity in learning—varied content, outdoor and technology-supported approaches, and physical activity—as essential to fun in learning — related
• Nature exposure relieves stress in learners, including experimentally demonstrated reductions in heart rate and self-reported stress — related