The Benefits of Children Spending Time in Nature

Some facts and research on a few of the many benefits of time in nature for children (and adults):

- According to the Fields in Trust report, parks and green spaces save the NHS an estimated £111 million per year, based solely on a reduced GP visits and excluding any additional savings from prescribing or referrals.
Source: Fields in Trust Report

- 70% of UK adults agreed being close to nature improves their mood, and 49% said being close to nature helps them to cope with stress.
45% of people in the UK found visiting green spaces, such as parks, helped them to cope throughout the pandemic.
Source: Mental Health Foundation Research.

- Mental health conditions in children and adolescents can be improved by slow mindful nature connection known as forest therapy or bathing. Forest therapy has recently received growing attention as an enabler of relaxation and preventive health care with demonstrated clinical efficacy. However, it is not well-known that forest therapy also decreases mental health issues among individuals with mental health disorders.
Source: Namyun Kil1,*, Jin Gun Kim2, Emily Thornton1, Amy Jeranek3
1 Department of Recreation Management and Recreational Therapy, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, 54601, USA
2 Korea Forest Therapy Forum Incorporated Association, Cheongju, 28644, Korea
3 Hiawatha Valley Education District-SAIL Program, Kellogg, 55945, USA

- Research by University College London and Imperial College London showed that young people’s proximity to woodlands has links with better cognitive development and a lower risk of emotional and behavioural problems.

- Higher childhood exposure to green space is associated with higher bone mineral density and a lower risk of having low bone density among children aged 4–6 years, emphasising the importance of early-life green space exposure and the long-term implications.