The Healing Potential of Forest School — Where Play and Therapy Meet

There’s something deeply transformative that happens when children are given space to play, explore, and connect with the natural world. In the forest, they are free to be their truest selves — curious, creative, and wonderfully alive. For many children, this is more than play; it’s a form of healing.

At Big Scrub Nature Play, our mission has always been to break down barriers to outdoor play, creating opportunities for real emotional and developmental change for all children. Through the Forest School approach, we hold space for children to experience the joy, calm, and confidence that come from being in nature. But there’s another layer to this work — a therapeutic one — that deepens the impact we can have on children’s wellbeing.

Nature as a Therapeutic Space

Therapy isn’t only something that happens once a week in a quiet office — it can unfold gently in the rustle of leaves, the rhythm of a child’s breath as they climb, or the shared laughter by a campfire. When we nurture relationships in nature, we create the conditions for children to feel seen, heard, and safe. That’s where growth begins.

The Three Ps of Therapeutic Forest School

In therapeutic practice, three simple ideas — Place, People, and Participants — capture why Forest School offers such deep potential for healing and growth.

1. The right Place - The forest is a naturally rich, multi-sensory environment. It stimulates curiosity, invites movement, and allows children to experience learning through their whole bodies. Whether it’s the crunch of leaves underfoot, the scent of eucalyptus, or the feel of mud between their fingers, these sensory experiences support regulation, connection, and emotional safety.

2. The right People - Forest School leaders are uniquely placed to support children’s wellbeing because the core principles of Forest School — nurturing relationships, a child-led approach, and learning through play — naturally align with therapeutic values. When children are given autonomy, they develop intrinsic motivation and self-awareness. As leaders, our role is to hold space with warmth, flexibility, and trust, allowing children to explore who they are at their own pace.

3. The right Participants - Forest School often attracts children who find mainstream learning or therapy settings overwhelming. In nature, those same children can flourish — they have space to move, breathe, and express themselves without pressure. Nature allows us to see the whole child: their strengths, struggles, creativity, and resilience.

A Reflective Practice

As Forest School leaders, we already hold many of the tools that nurture wellbeing — empathy, playfulness, patience, and curiosity. The therapeutic approach simply helps us understand why these things matter, and how to adapt them for each unique child.

Not every strategy will fit every situation. Just like choosing the right tool from your outdoor kit, therapeutic practice asks us to stay reflective and responsive — tuning into what a child truly needs in that moment.

When we combine therapeutic understanding with the magic of Forest School, we create something powerful: a space where every child feels valued, capable, and free to grow.

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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. 🌿