Benefits
The fact that most forest kindergartens do not provide commercial toys that have a predefined meaning or purpose supports the development of language skills, as children verbally create a common understanding of the objects used as toys in the context of their play. Forest kindergartens are also generally less noisy than closed rooms, and noise has been shown to be a factor in the stress level of children and daycare professionals.
Merely keeping sight of natural features improves self-discipline in inner-city girls. Visiting a forest school regularly is desirable for schools although still not widespread; some aim to spend one day a week out.
Playing outside for prolonged periods has been shown to have a positive impact on children's development, particularly in the areas of balance and agility, but also manual dexterity, physical coordination, tactile sensitivity, and depth perception. According to these studies, children who attend forest kindergartens experience fewer injuries due to accidents and are less likely to injure themselves in a fall. A child's ability to assess risks improves, for example in handling fire and dangerous tools. Other studies have shown that spending time in nature improves attention and medical prognisis in women (see Attention Restoration Theory). Playing outdoors strengthens the immune systems of children and daycare professionals.
When children from German Waldkindergartens go to primary school teachers observe a significant improvement in reading, writing, mathematics, social interactions and many other areas. Boys may be less intellectually able than girls at typical school tasks such as reading and mathematics, so forest kindergartens have been recommended in the early years.
Roland Gorges found that children who had been to a forest kindergarten were above average, compared by teachers to those who had not, in all areas of skill tested. In order of advantage, these were:
| Improved skills |
|---|
| Knowledge and skills in specific subjects. |
| Reading |
| Mathematics |
| Constructive contributions to learning |
| Asking questions and interest in learning |
| Motivation |
| Sports |
| Music |
| Art and creativity |
| Positive social behaviour |
| Religion |
| Concentration |
| Handling writing and painting equipment |
Read more about this topic: Forest Kindergarten
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