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FOR CURIOUS PARENTS

Forest School vs Traditional School: What's Right for Your Child?

An honest look at both approaches — what the research says, and how to think about what your tamariki actually needs.

Children in nature at The Bush Base, Waiatarua

What Is Forest School?

Forest school originated in Scandinavia and has grown significantly in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand over the past two decades. At its core, it's an approach that takes learning outdoors — using the natural environment as both the setting and the subject.

Forest school emphasises child-led learning, regular outdoor sessions in all weathers, and the development of the whole child — not just academic skills. Risk-taking is encouraged (within safe limits), and children are trusted to make decisions about their own learning and play.

In New Zealand, nature-based programmes like The Bush Base share these principles, shaped by our unique environment and the values of Te Whāriki — our early childhood curriculum that centres connection to place, community, and holistic wellbeing.

Nature learning at The Bush Base

How It Compares to Traditional Schooling

Traditional schooling provides structure, peer groups, and a sequential curriculum. For many children, it works well. Forest school and nature-based programmes offer something different — not necessarily better or worse, but genuinely different.

The key differences:

Side by Side

Aspect Traditional School Forest School / Nature-Based
Who leads the learning Teacher-directed; curriculum pre-planned Child-led; emergent curriculum follows children's interests
Setting Indoors, primarily seated Outdoors, active, all weathers
Assessment Grades, tests, formal reporting Observation-based, qualitative; focuses on the whole child
Social structure Same-age peers, large group Mixed ages, small group, community-based
Risk and challenge Largely managed out; safety focus Managed risk encouraged; builds resilience and judgement
Pace Set schedule; subjects in blocks Unhurried; children follow their own rhythm
Physical activity Limited; mainly at interval/PE Continuous; movement is integral to the day

What the Research Says

The evidence for nature-based learning has grown substantially in recent years. Key findings include:

  • Improved self-regulation — Children who spend regular time in unstructured outdoor play demonstrate better emotional regulation and impulse control.
  • Increased resilience — Exposure to manageable risk builds confidence, problem-solving ability, and the capacity to handle setbacks.
  • Better physical health — Regular outdoor activity supports motor development, immune function, and reduced rates of anxiety and depression.
  • Stronger curiosity — Child-led learning sustains intrinsic motivation; children who learn by following their own questions tend to remain curious learners into adulthood.
  • Social skills — Mixed-age, small-group environments develop empathy, collaboration, and communication in ways that same-age large-group settings often don't.

This doesn't mean traditional schooling lacks value — it doesn't. But for many children, a regular dose of nature-based learning alongside school (or instead of it) provides something important that they're not getting elsewhere.

It Doesn't Have to Be Either/Or

One of the things we're most proud of at The Bush Base is that we don't ask families to choose. Many of our tamariki attend school during the week and come to us on Mondays or Wednesdays. They get the structure, peer group, and curriculum of traditional schooling — and they get one or two days a week to move, create, and breathe in the bush.

For homeschooling families, The Bush Base provides the community, peer connection, and specialist environment that can be hard to replicate at home. It supplements, rather than replaces, whatever learning approach the family uses.

You don't have to commit to a philosophy. You just have to find what works for your child.

Want to See It in Action?

Enquire and arrange a try day. See for yourself what a day at The Bush Base looks like — and decide from there.

Enquire Now