It’s what’s commonly referred to as “dead week”—the week before final exams. Most of my students exhibit familiar signs of stress, looking tired and overwhelmed, often retreating to their phones between classes. However, a small group stands out: they’re smiling and relaxed as we walk back from a nature walk. They chat with one another, saying things like, “I needed that,” and, “Now I can make some progress.” I feel the difference myself, appreciating the walk and noticing the improved focus and overall mood of these students. These changes are not accidental but are the result of intentional efforts to integrate nature into their routines.
A year ago, my growing concern for my students’ stressed-out, screen-dominated lives led me to research the benefits of interacting with nature. Articles like What Are the Benefits of Interacting with Nature? by Keniger et al. (2013) resonated deeply with me. The article described individuals much like my students: anxious, distracted, and missing the powerful, stress-reducing, and cognitive-enhancing effects of being in natural environments. I also realized that many of my students lacked outdoor experiences growing up and even viewed nature as dangerous or dirty.
As a professor of Information Technology, I couldn’t simply make outdoor activities a core part of the coursework. Instead, I decided to create optional activities that would meet my students’ needs while drawing them outdoors. Students crave social interaction and want to feel good about themselves. So, an outdoor experience needed to be fun and social while also providing a sense of purpose—something greater than themselves (Asah & Blahna, 2013).
After careful consideration, I designed a weekly lunchtime walk in a nearby natural area. These walks included a quick, interactive activity such as litter cleanup and brief discussions about the natural environment. My goals were clear: reduce student stress and improve their health and focus. Comments from my students confirmed that the walks were achieving these goals. As we returned from our weekly walks, students would express feelings of rejuvenation and renewed focus.
If you’re an educator looking to implement similar activities for your students, here are some practical steps to get started:
1. Increase Student Awareness
Talk to your students about the benefits of spending time in nature. Explain how it can reduce stress, increase focus, and improve overall health. Incorporate references to research studies into your lessons whenever applicable. For example, you can mention studies like those by Keniger et al. (2013) or other research that highlights the therapeutic effects of nature.
Visual aids can also help. Display informational and motivational posters encouraging students to step outside and explore nature. On days when the weather is beautiful and the lesson allows it, consider holding your class outdoors. This simple change can ignite a desire in students to spend more time outside.
2. Schedule Convenient and Effective Opportunities
Timing is critical. I found that lunchtime on weekdays worked best for my students. The activity needed to be short and accessible, so I planned a brief walk to a nearby park that included an interactive element. Whether it’s a park, garden, or green space on campus, convenience is key to ensuring participation.
3. Promote Outdoor Activities Regularly
Consistency and reminders are essential. Habitually announce your outdoor events during class or through online platforms. I also posted weekly updates about the activities planned for our walks, ensuring that students were informed and motivated to join. Partnering with outdoor or conservation-focused student groups can also expand the reach of your initiative.
Additionally, inviting faculty and staff to participate in lunchtime walks or outdoor meetings can create a broader sense of community and encourage students to join.
4. Host Meaningful Outdoor Activities
When facilitating outdoor activities, focus on helping students fully engage with their surroundings. I would pre-walk the route earlier in the week to identify interesting natural features to highlight during our walk, such as budding flowers, berries, nests, tracks, or insects. Encouraging students to notice these details enhances their appreciation of nature.
To add a sense of purpose, we incorporated a litter cleanup into our walks. Students appreciated the opportunity to do something positive for the environment, which boosted their sense of accomplishment. Keep the route simple, accessible, and time-efficient to make participation easy for all students.
1. Weather Impacts Participation
Unsurprisingly, the weather plays a significant role in student turnout. When I first started hosting walks, I showed up every week regardless of the weather. While spring brought large groups, participation declined steadily in the fall as sunny days gave way to rain. To avoid discouragement, I reminded myself that even on days when no one joined, the walks were still valuable—building life skills and fostering an association between nature and positive feelings.
2. Positive Feedback Reinforces the Effort
Despite smaller groups during colder months, the number of positive comments I received from students was surprising. Many shared how much they appreciated the walks, even through the winter. This feedback reinforced the importance of continuing the initiative.
For those looking to start similar initiatives, I’ve compiled mini-lesson plans and promotional materials in an open-source archive. These resources are free for anyone to use or modify. While broader initiatives like Washington State’s No Child Left Inside aim to address the growing disconnect between youth and nature, educators can make a significant impact by creating opportunities directly within their institutions.
Many students today suffer from a lack of connection to nature, which negatively impacts their mental health and academic performance. By facilitating activities like weekly nature walks, educators can help students develop a lifelong association between natural environments and feelings of peace, health, and joy. My hope is that more educators will see the value of these initiatives and take steps to integrate them into their students’ lives.
We all use our senses to take in our environment when strolling through nature. We smell flowers, feel tree bark, listen to bird songs, notice minutiae (such as an ant track on a tree), and sometimes even taste a few of the natural objects we encounter.
In adults, studies demonstrate being in nature helps to speed up the healing process, lower blood pressure, and minimize cancer risk, as well as improve people's moods. Adults, on the other hand, can lower their heart rate by merely walking inside a park for thirty min or more once a week, according to a recent study.
Walking in a purposeful, conscious manner, I've realized, is the most miraculous of all benefits so it connects you to either a higher spiritual location or a wellspring of limitless possibilities. Walking, on the other hand, should be your only pastime in which you stay awake with each stride.
Walking has been one of the simplest techniques to include exercise into your daily routine, but let's face it, it may become tedious after a while. Read on for some helpful hints on how to make strolling one of the most enjoyable and therapeutic activities you can engage in.