Can outdoor education programs enhance student learning and well-being?

Where does outdoor education work best — and for whom?

Outdoor education is not a one-size-fits-all solution. A large 2025 study of 1,247 college students compared traditional physical education with outdoor education and found that outdoor education was more effective at building grit — the combination of perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Students in outdoor classes showed significantly greater improvements in both persistence effort and interest consistency than those in gym-based classes [1]. However, the same study revealed a catch: male students did not show significant improvement in perseverance effort through outdoor education, even though their overall grit scores improved. This suggests that outdoor programs may need to be adapted to better engage male students in sustained effort [1].

For younger students, the evidence is also positive but context-dependent. A 2021 study of 324 primary and secondary school students in Italy found that those who participated in four guided outdoor visits to natural protected areas reported higher psycho-physical well-being, stronger connectedness to nature, and more pro-social behavior compared to a control group that stayed in the classroom [3]. The benefits were consistent across both age groups, indicating that even short, structured outdoor programs can yield measurable gains in well-being and social behavior.

How does outdoor learning actually improve well-being?

The well-being boost from outdoor education appears to work through several pathways. First, contact with nature itself has restorative effects. A 2021 qualitative study of 47 university students in Finland found that outdoor recreation helped them manage stress, gain emotional and cognitive renewal, strengthen social relationships, and even develop a stronger sense of self — especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic [6]. Students described nature as providing a sense of 'being away' from academic pressures, which supported both mental health and personal reflection [6].

Second, outdoor learning environments naturally foster social and emotional learning (SEL). A 2022 study of 36 Canadian primary school educators found that the unstructured, emergent nature of outdoor learning was a key driver of SEL benefits — such as self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making — that are harder to cultivate in a traditional classroom [7]. Educators reported that outdoor settings encouraged students to collaborate, solve problems creatively, and regulate their emotions more effectively [7].

Third, the social support built during outdoor programs may enhance emotion regulation. A 2023 study of 376 undergraduate students found that perceived social support within residential college communities was linked to healthier patterns of emotion regulation, which in turn predicted better overall health and well-being [8]. Outdoor education, which often involves teamwork and shared challenges, can strengthen these social bonds.

Does outdoor education actually improve academic learning?

The evidence for academic learning outcomes is more indirect but still promising. A 2022 pilot study of 17 students on a six-month outdoor leadership course found significant progress in perceived leadership skills — including decision-making, communication, and problem-solving — after the course [2]. While this study did not measure traditional academic grades, these leadership skills are closely tied to academic success and lifelong learning.

However, the relationship between well-being and academic performance is complex. A 2020 study of 146 medical students found that well-being was positively correlated with a positive learning environment (r = 0.43) and resilience (r = 0.35), but well-being was not significantly correlated with exam scores or clinical performance [4]. Interestingly, stress showed a weak positive correlation with performance (r = 0.17), suggesting that moderate stress may sometimes drive achievement, but at a potential cost to well-being [4]. This means outdoor education may improve well-being without directly boosting grades — but the improved resilience and reduced burnout could support long-term academic persistence.

A 2023 study of 290 university students found that those who combined work with study (especially in their field) had higher subjective well-being and self-change potential than non-working students [9]. While not about outdoor education directly, this finding underscores that engagement in meaningful, active experiences — which outdoor education provides — can enhance both well-being and educational success.

What are the limitations and caveats?

Not all outdoor education programs are equally effective. The 2025 grit study found that male students did not improve in perseverance effort through outdoor classes, suggesting that program design may need to be more intentional for certain groups [1]. Additionally, a 2022 study of 551 trainee teachers from five European countries found that while most believed outdoor education was important and effective, they were not satisfied with the training they received on how to implement it [5]. This gap between enthusiasm and preparedness means that poorly designed outdoor programs may not deliver the expected benefits.

The quality of feedback also matters. In the 2022 leadership study, systematic peer feedback did not enhance perceived leadership skills beyond the course itself, possibly because feedback was not given in real-time or was not valued by students [2]. This suggests that simply adding outdoor activities is not enough — the structure, guidance, and reflection components are critical.

Finally, most studies are short-term and focus on self-reported outcomes. The 2021 Italian study measured effects after only four visits [3], and the 2025 grit study was a pre-post design without long-term follow-up [1]. More research is needed to understand whether the benefits of outdoor education persist over months or years, and how they translate into real-world academic and life outcomes.

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