When we say we homeschool, people think of home-based learning and shudder. But for our family, nothing could be further away than the truth. Two to three times a week, we will be out in nature. It would usually be forest school in the forest, doing a class outdoors in the park, visiting the zoo or swimming at the beach, and playground time.
There are so many benefits that nature can bring to children, in growing their bodies, hearts, and minds.
Exercise helps children achieve better academic results. Exercising allows more oxygen flow to the brain, and the increase in brain activity (neurotransmitters and neurotrophins) allows children to have a better ability to focus and increase memory retention. Occupational therapists believe that when children simultaneously engage in two or more sensory systems, the mind becomes more integrated and regulated, resulting in fewer behavioural issues.
Nature presents many opportunities for learning. An innocent comment about how black the soil is turned into a deeper discussion of earthworm poop, or worm casting. Mark makings with a rock in hand on a wooden bench turned into a discussion about wood decomposition and how lichen helps with the decomposition. Spotting apple snail eggs, an invasive species, prompted thoughts about why their population is so large, and how it was brought into Singapore in the first place. It’s not just science, there is so much math in nature too — symmetries in leaves and butterflies, Fibonacci sequence in growth patterns, grouping and multiplication in flowers, trees, and insects, etc. Learning can be natural, through conversations with parents, nature guides, teachers, and even other children. When we give unhurried opportunities for curiosity and self-discovery, we give autonomy and willingness to learn back to the children. Math becomes less abstract, science becomes relatable; learning becomes visible.
When we’re out on our forest school day with our friends, we practise our soft skills, or otherwise known as life skills, or 21st century competencies (by MOE). We learn to deal with the unpredictability of weather, be flexible and flow with the plans. It is an all-weather outing, so even when it’s raining, we would be out in our raincoats. Learning to accept the changes in weather, embrace the discomfort of having mud in our shoes and develop the optimism and fun in the rain can be so powerful. This is especially useful for young children who crave routine and predictability, and are still developing resilience, perspective-taking, and the theory of mind. And what better way to teach social-emotional learning by comparing emotions to the different weather — sometimes it’s cloudy and sunny, “we could be happy and a little bit sad”; “sometimes people may not show a happy face out the outside but can be very happy on the inside”.
We formulate the process of decision-making by climbing trees, understanding our climbing ability, making risk and safety assessments, and testing our hypothesis of the strength of the tree branch before putting the whole weight on it. We learn to be empathetic when we found out the reason for the macaques’ aggression was due to a recent loss of a baby. We learn to appreciate the fragility of life, when we see a once healthy tree completely uprooted after a rainstorm. It is also during this time that parents give unhindered opportunities for applied learning and put into practice what has been learned. We learn to communicate and negotiate with our friends where to go, and what to do. We learn to respect boundaries of both nature and humans, understanding that we are now in the homes of insects and animals, and that our friends also have their windows of tolerance.
Nature is our classroom. It provides an endless amount of teaching material. Of course, all these discussions and learnings could happen in a traditional classroom setting, by listening to a teacher, reading a book, or learning online. But nothing beats being out in nature to be able to touch with our hands, feel and balance with our feet, and smell the air to keep lessons alive and interesting — the multisensorial way, in an easeful and delightful way. Being playful in nature prepares our central nervous systems to be ready to receive information and learn. When we eventually go back to read books or search on Google, the neural network or dots that we are connecting last so much longer, and definitely way beyond the next exam.
Many children spend too much time in our urban jungles, and not enough time outdoors. This is especially true during the covid times where all social interaction including games at recess times was prohibited. Homeschooling gives us the time and freedom to be able to learn and explore nature.
“We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see. And touch. And hear.” – Richard Louv.
No doubt, children can be loud and brash, especially toddlers. They may disturb the peace and tranquility. They may even sometimes destroy some flowers or insects. This is part and parcel of their learning and appreciation. In my own experience, the child who pulled out the root of a plant as a toddler in the past is also the same child today, who tells another not to cut flowers of a plant, and will be the future protector of Mother Earth.
This article was originally published in Nature Society Singapore’s magazine.
