What are the differences between forest schools and traditional indoor nurseries?
Choosing between forest school nursery and traditional nursery
Choosing the right nursery is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a parent and with so many options available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In recent years, Forest school and outdoor nurseries have grown rapidly in popularity and for good reason. A growing body of research shows that children who learn in nature-based settings often gain a real developmental advantage compared to those in traditional indoor nurseries.
Research from the Forest School Association found that children attending forest school settings demonstrate higher levels of confidence, stronger social skills and increased motivation to learn than their peers in conventional indoor nurseries.
What is a forest school nursery?
A forest school nursery is an early years setting where children spend the majority of their time outdoors, exploring woodlands, parks and natural spaces. Unlike traditional indoor nurseries, the learning is child-led, exploratory and hands-on, focusing on social-emotional growth, resilience and creativity.
Key features of a forest school nursery include learning outdoors in all-weather through child-led, experiential activities which build confidence, independence and problem-solving skills. Children take part in activities like den building, wildlife exploration and nature crafts and they eat and sleep outdoors.
How does a forest school nursery differ from a traditional indoor nursery?
While both types of nurseries support early learning, the day-to-day experience for children can be very different.
In a forest school nursery, children spend most of their time outdoors in natural environments. Learning happens through hands-on exploration and play, with activities guided by children’s interests and curiosity. This child-led approach allows learning to develop naturally, encouraging independence and confidence.
By contrast, traditional nurseries are usually based indoors, with structured routines and adult-led activities. While there may be scheduled outdoor play, it is often limited to short sessions in playgrounds rather than extended time in nature. Learning tends to focus more heavily on early literacy, numeracy and classroom-style activities. This does not mean forest school nurseries don’t focus on such learning topics, they do, but in different methods.
Forest school nurseries place a strong emphasis on holistic development, supporting children’s social, emotional, physical, and creative growth alongside early academic skills. Children are encouraged to move freely, climb, balance, dig and explore, resulting in higher levels of natural physical activity throughout the day. Traditional nurseries typically offer more moderate physical movement, often restricted to specific playtimes.
Another key difference lies in how children experience challenges and risk. In forest school settings, children are supported to assess risk and solve problems in safe, supervised ways, helping them develop resilience, judgement and critical thinking. These activities also provide great moments for children to learn about rules and boundaries which are important for them to grasp ahead of attending future school settings.
Are forest school nurseries better for children’s physical development and health than indoor nursery settings?
Research shows children in outdoor nurseries are significantly more active than those in indoor nurseries. In fact, according to the Forestry Commission Scotland children at forest school nursery are involved in 20% more movement on average. Climbing, running, digging and balancing improves their gross motor skills and coordination and handling sticks, stones and tools develops their fine motor skills
Outdoor learning also promotes long-term health benefits, including stronger immunity, lower risk of obesity and better overall fitness.
An interesting Finnish study, for example, found that playing in grass and forest undergrowth, such as heather and blueberry planted in nursery playgrounds at four daycare centres, boosted the immune systems of three to five-year-old children within 28 days.
Researchers found that microbial diversity had increased on the skin and in the guts of children who regularly played outside among such greenery, indicating a healthier immune system. They also had a greater number of T cells, which play an important role in our immune response, and the proportion of anti-inflammatory molecules in the blood plasma had also increased.
Do forest school nurseries improve confidence and resilience?
Forest School nurseries encourage children to take manageable risks and solve problems independently, which builds confidence and resilience.
The Children and Nature Report by University College London and The Wildlife Trusts UK revealed that after nature-based activities, 79% of children reported feeling more confident in themselves and 84% felt they were capable of doing new things when they tried.
Activities like climbing, den building, and navigating natural spaces help children learn self-regulation, decision-making and perseverance.
Will my child learn enough for school in a forest school nursery compared to a traditional indoor nursery?
One of the most common concerns parents raise is whether an outdoor, play-based nursery can prepare children academically as well as a traditional indoor nursery. The reassuring answer is yes, and, in many cases, forest school learning prepares children more effectively for school.
While traditional nurseries often focus on early literacy and numeracy through structured, classroom-based activities, forest school nurseries embed these same skills into real-world, hands-on experiences. This approach helps children understand concepts more deeply and retain what they learn.
For example, numeracy is developed naturally by counting stones, measuring sticks, comparing sizes, or estimating distances while playing outdoors. Literacy grows through storytelling inspired by nature, discussing discoveries, mark-making in the mud or sand and learning new vocabulary by naming plants, animals and natural features. Early science learning comes alive as children observe insect habitats, track weather changes and watch plants grow over time.
Research suggests that children in outdoor nursery settings develop strong problem-solving, critical thinking and independent learning skills, all of which are key indicators of school readiness. A study published by MDPI found that nature-based early education supports cognitive development and prepares children well for the transition to formal schooling, often more effectively than purely indoor learning environments.
How does a forest school nursery support social skills compared to a traditional indoor nursery?
In a forest school environment, social interaction happens naturally throughout the day. Children regularly collaborate, negotiate and problem-solve together during shared activities. These experiences require communication and empathy, all essential social skills.
Traditional indoor nurseries also support social development, but interactions are often more adult-directed and take place within structured routines or smaller indoor spaces. In contrast, outdoor environments give children more freedom to resolve conflicts and work together independently, helping them build stronger peer relationships.
These early social skills carry through into school life, supporting better classroom relationships and greater emotional resilience as children grow.
Which is better: A forest school nursery or a traditional indoor nursery?
The biggest difference between forest school nurseries and traditional indoor nurseries lies in how children learn and develop day to day.
Traditional indoor nurseries often prioritise structured routines and early academic skills, which can suit some children. However, research increasingly shows that young children learn best through movement, play, exploration and real-world experiences - all of which are at the heart of forest school practice.
Forest school nurseries support children’s development in a more holistic way, nurturing not only early literacy and numeracy, but also confidence, resilience, creativity, physical health and strong social skills. These are the foundations that help children thrive both in school and throughout life.
Outdoor learning with Outdoor Owls
At Outdoor Owls we deliver forest school learning coupled with traditional nursery learning but all outdoors. Our settings are based in safe, inspiring natural woodland environments for children aged 12 months up until 5 years. We also provide holiday camps outside school term-times for children aged 4 to 7 years, to experience more advanced and structured activities.
We have settings based in Surrey, in Cobham and Guildford. For families living in London we also have minibus points in Fulham, Putney and Richmond where our team and children travel to our forest in Cobham to spend the day learning outdoors. Families can enquire online or speak to us on the phone and come for an onsite showaround to learn more.
