Human emotion affects every aspect of our cognition, including perception, attention, learning, memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. The feeling of fear, in particular, strongly influences attention and behavior in children. Since learning demands student attention, an awareness of and response to students’ fears pertaining to outdoor environments is important for teachers to incorporate into their planning. Creating and maintaining a sense of security, whether instruction is indoors or outdoors, should be a priority.

Teachers and students alike may feel unsure about being outdoors, depending on their background, training, or personal experiences and perceptions. Many teachers might hesitate to lead outdoor lessons because they cannot identify local flora and fauna or they have not been trained to manage students in an outdoor space. Pre-service teacher training rarely includes grounding in outdoor education practices. 

Depending on the conditions of their local neighborhood, students may not have had a chance to develop a connection to the natural world. They may have been taught that the outdoors is unsafe and therefore, spend their free time indoors. Students’ background or circumstances may also put pressure on them to avoid getting wet and dirty, ruining clothes. In urban areas, in particular, students may have only had exposure to paved paths or sidewalks. Students with sensory challenges (tactile, audio, visual) can be triggered when they are outdoors or when expected to interact with natural items. Students can be fearful of nature or anything they may not be familiar with, particularly snakes, insects, or spiders. Often, sensational media stories, movies, or myths can influence a student’s perception. Since perceived threats trigger the evolutionary survival reactions of fight or flight, students may run, recoil, scream, and even try to kill wildlife.

In this article we discuss ideas and tips for creating a positive outdoor experience for students. Many of these strategies are low- or no-cost and can be implemented immediately. Taking time to consider student emotion and perceptions of the outdoors will make your outdoor teaching and learning more positive and equitable for your school community. 

Teacher Mindset

Teachers can support their students’ sense of security by keeping a positive, enthusiastic attitude about going outside. They can model bravery by staying calm and curious about the natural world, holding a worm or a beetle for example, even when it is unfamiliar. Students take cues from the adults in charge. Teachers can also nurture a spirit of inquiry by saying, “Let’s find out together,” or “What do you think?” and letting natural phenomena lead the inquiry. 

Prepare Students Before Going Outside

Give a heads up to parents and students. Teachers can set students up for success by letting parents know that they will be using the outdoors as a classroom and that students may get dirty or wet. This should include a reminder that students need to dress for outdoor learning with clothes and shoes that are weather appropriate. If possible and if needed, teachers should help secure clothing that students can wear and be comfortable in outdoors. Teachers can describe the site and the wildlife the class may encounter, and ask students how they feel about going outside and what they expect to see. It is important to respect and address students’ fears and concerns so they feel heard and can build trust. 

Open dialog. To discover the fears students have about being outdoors, teachers can assign journal entries that begin with prompts such as “The scariest thing(s) about being outdoors is (are)___________.” Young students can draw a picture on paper divided in two parts: “favorite outdoor activity” and “something that scared you outdoors.”

Use literature. If teachers feel there is a need to explore student concerns more deeply, they can use children’s literature to open discussions about student concerns in an outdoor setting. Some examples of helpful books for elementary age students are The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright, The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright, Little Tree by Loren Long, and Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt. Students can use field guides to familiarize themselves with what they will see outside. They can also make their own schoolyard field guides and invent their own names for wildlife, based on observed characteristics. 

Set expectations and model appropriate behavior. Through a class discussion, teachers should establish outdoor classroom rules, routines, and procedures. See our article on Outdoor Classroom Management for more. Discuss ways students can independently manage fears if they come up, before going outside. For example, model how to behave around a bee if one comes near. Rhymes can help identify poison ivy or other poisonous plants; for example, “leaves of three, let it be” and “hairy vine, no friend of mine.” This encourages autonomy and confidence in the outdoors. 

Use multiple ways to discover the outdoors. If feasible, schedule a school visit with a naturalist or park staff member to familiarize students with local flora and fauna to be studied. Use pictures and videos to prepare students for what they might see or encounter. This technique could also pique their interest and set the stage for exploration in the field. Check out iNaturalist.org, a helpful online app and program for identifying flora and fauna that are found outdoors. 

Management Tips

Once outside, there are numerous tips for establishing a sense of security through behavior management, finding and handling wildlife, and more. Outdoor educators offer the suggestions below.

Expectations, Routines, and Rituals. Set expectations by starting class with an introduction to the outdoor classroom, an overview of how long they will be there, what they will do, and how they will clean up. Create a transition to the outdoor space with a ritual or visual cue such as a gate. Use songs, chants, fingerplays, puppets, and poems to introduce characteristics of caterpillars, spiders, bees, and so on. Allow students to form small groups or exploration pods. This can increase confidence and allow students to share their findings. 

Lessons and Activities. Start with simple activities and projects to introduce students to nature, such as scavenger hunts (for colors, shapes, or textures). Engaging with the space right away and having a task will keep students focused and less fearful. Translate the unfamiliar — refer to larvae and young plants as “babies” — to connect new ideas to what students already know.

Infrastructure. Use wayfinding to help guide students through the space and manage fears. Interpretive signs that showcase bugs, wildlife, and habitat features are helpful. Incorporate “sit spots” into the outdoor classroom curriculum. Sit spots are places to sit quietly and observe nature all around you. They foster not only an awareness of nature, but also a connection with the space and the creatures in it. Use blankets or portable cushions to sit on if they help promote security.

Safety for Students and Wildlife. Demonstrate how to safely turn over a rock or log toward yourself to provide a safe escape for an animal to move away from you. Ask students to choose a “rescue” space where they will carefully place any wildlife they find and would like to share. This creates a safe space for hesitant students to observe discoveries from a distance. Remember to return wildlife to their original homes. Remind students to wash hands immediately after handling plant parts and animals like toads and salamanders. Point out natural hazards like poison ivy, oak, and sumac, wasp nests, and fire ant hills. Introduce bugs through approachable ladybugs or roly poly or pill bugs that are harmless and easy to handle. Provide gloves and show students how to hold a stick or leaf near an animal for it to crawl onto. Use bug magnifier boxes for students to observe without touching insects. And finally, provide another option for students who may be too fearful or unwilling to do the activity.