Want Happy, Healthy Children? Take Them Outside [Study].

Time spent in nature hiking or camping at least once a year causes children to be happier and healthier, according to a recent study.

The benefits of spending time outdoors even extend into the classroom, with young hikers and campers performing better in school than children who don’t take part in outdoor activities. 

In a study aimed at discovering perceptions of the relationship between education and outdoor activities conducted by the Institute of Education at Plymouth University and the Camping and Caravanning Club, researchers’ findings support the ideas expressed by parents.

Sue Waite, Associate Professor at the Plymouth Institute of Education and lead researcher of the study, discovered that four out of five parents believed strongly in the positive effect of camping and hiking on their children’s education in the classroom.

To conduct this study, Waite and her team asked parents and children around the UK a series of questions. These questions were designed to help researchers explore psychological, social and educational benefits of the camping and hiking experience. Children of all ages took part and the findings were consistent among all age groups.

Interestingly, the parents surveyed believed camping supported the key curriculum subjects of Geography, History and Science. And actually, that stacks up because the most common camping activities were natural—such as rock pooling and nature walks—where children were getting to understand ecosystems and identify lifeforms, respecting nature and the environment.

-Sue Waite

Hiking and camping can even have a positive social influence for the kids who enjoy these activities. Outdoor activities allow children to interact with and better relate to their peers. Adventures experienced outdoors stay with kids, giving them something special that they can share with classmates.

When asked what they love most about camping, the children taking place in the study had plenty of positive feedback to give. In the most common responses given, kids said they loved learning various camping and outdoor survival skills, meeting other kids and making new friends, playing outside and “having fun” while enjoying nature.

Kids even recognized the benefit of camping, hiking and other outdoor activities on curriculum subjects in school. They told Waite and her team of researchers that these outdoor activities helped them work together and gave them problem-solving skills.

Statistical Findings
Sue Waite and her team compiled some compelling statistics through their interactions with parents and who enjoy hiking or camping at least once each year.

• 98% of the parents who participated said that camping makes kids connect with and appreciate nature.
• 95% said that their kids were happier when camping and that this happiness seemed to extend into their everyday lives.
• 93% of parents expressed a belief that camping and hiking provided their kids with skills useful for later life as happy, successful and well-adjusted adults.
• 68% felt that time in the outdoors helped children enjoy learning in the classroom environment, giving them experiences –like visiting educational or historical sites and national landmarks– that they could share with classmates.
• 20% of the parents felt that camping and hiking gives kids confidence, freedom and independence.
• 15% said that merely leaving technology behind to enjoy nature was beneficial to their kids.

These numbers all point towards a strong correlation of an increase in overall well-being and academic success among children who enjoy the outdoors.

Most likely, a variety of factors contribute to the positive effects of hiking and camping. Simply getting outside in the sunshine and away from computer screens, cell phones, tablets and gaming consoles likely has beneficial effects.

Both parents and children lead busy lives these days but the research conducted by Plymouth University suggests that by planning just one annual hiking or camping trip with your kids, you can increase their self-esteem, their happiness, their ability to work well with peers, and even help them to be more successful in school.

By planning even one camping trip or hiking adventure this year, you can give your children the opportunity to be happier and healthier while building skills (and memories) that will last a lifetime.

Study Links Camping to Happy, Healthy Children – Plymouth University