How Forest School Supports Children’s Emotional Regulation: What the Research Shows & How We Nurture It

Emotional regulation is one of the most important skills a child will ever learn — and one of the slowest to develop. Children begin showing early signs around two or three years old, but the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions isn’t fully developed until the mid-twenties. That’s why toddlers struggle to wait their turn, young children still find it difficult to inhibit impulses, and teenagers can experience overwhelm with surprising intensity.

In Forest School, emotional regulation isn’t taught through worksheets or lectures — it’s nurtured through play, connection, co-regulation, and the soothing rhythms of nature. The bush becomes both a teacher and a companion, offering children the spaciousness they need to grow emotionally at a gentle, natural pace.

This blog post explores how nature play supports emotional development and how, as Forest School leaders, we intentionally model validation, reflective dialogue, and calming strategies to help children understand and manage their big feelings.

Nature calms the nervous system

Research consistently shows that time in nature reduces stress and supports emotional well-being. Outdoor environments lower cortisol, encourage positive mood, and reduce feelings of anxiety.

At Forest School, we see this daily: the shift that happens when children step under the canopy of trees, feel the breeze on their skin, or sink their hands into cool mud. Nature provides a regulating backdrop, helping children return more easily to a calm, grounded state where emotions feel manageable.

Child-led play builds inner regulation

Emotional regulation grows when children feel respected, trusted, and capable. Forest School offers this through child-led play, where children decide how they move, what they explore, and how they engage with others.

This freedom supports:

• problem-solving

• frustration tolerance

• risk-taking

• independence

• persistence

• self-trust

By following their own rhythms (instead of adult-led schedules), children learn to tune in to their needs, pace themselves, and recognise when they’re becoming overwhelmed.

Validation: Helping children feel seen, safe, and understood

One of the most powerful tools we use in Forest School is validation.

Instead of behaviours that can unintentionally increase a child’s anxiety — such as excessive reassurance (“It’s okay, don’t worry”), distraction (“Look over here!”), or confirming there is something to fear — we offer a different approach. To validate what we do is we hear someone's response and we reflect it back to them. That might be something we literally hear them say, or something we’re sensing or observing in them. And reflecting it back simply means mirroring what they’re experiencing — without judgement and without adding anything to it.

Validation tells a child:“I see you. Your feelings make sense. You are safe with me.”

This process helps children understand themselves and others, and forms the backbone of self-regulation.

Conflict in nature: small challenges, big learning

Nature play naturally invites cooperation — but inevitably, conflict arises too. Who gets the long stick? Who climbs the tree first? Whose idea for the cubby will they follow?

These small struggles are essential practice for emotional regulation. In the forest, conflict isn’t a crisis — it’s a learning opportunity. With a calm adult nearby, children experience manageable moments of frustration, empathy, negotiation, and repair.

Movement & sensory play to regulate the body

Children regulate through their bodies before they regulate through words.

Climbing, swinging, rolling, digging, splashing, stomping — these activities discharge energy and help reset the nervous system. Sensory play (mud, water, sand, leaves, bark, stones) provides grounding input that supports stability and emotional balance.

A child who is dysregulated often needs movement and sensory connection more than conversation.

Risk + adventure = Resilience

Healthy risk-taking is essential for emotional growth. When a child attempts a climb, explores uneven ground, or experiments with balancing on logs, they are learning to:

• manage fear

• regulate excitement

• navigate frustration

• celebrate success

• cope with setbacks

Every small challenge strengthens resilience — the heart of emotional regulation.

Our commitment at Big Scrub Nature Play

Everything we do — from gentle rhythms, intentionally slow play and nature-based restorative storytelling — is designed to support children’s emotional intelligence.

We strive to create a space where:

Every feeling is welcome

Every child is heard

Nature co-regulates

Play teaches more than any lesson

Conflicts become opportunities

Children learn what they feel, why they feel it, and what they can do about it

Forest School doesn’t just enrich childhood — it shapes emotionally resilient, empathic, grounded humans.

Have you experienced the soothing impact of nature on your child or children in your life? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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About the author

I’m Lidia, founder of Big Scrub Nature Play and author of Growing with Nature.

I’m currently undertaking a Certificate in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders, exploring how Forest School and nature play practices can support children’s emotional wellbeing, especially those with additional needs or challenges. Over the coming months, I’ll be sharing reflections and insights from this journey — exploring how nature connection can nurture both learning and healing. 🌿