Noticing nature - supporting your wellbeing and mental health at all ages

By Sarah MacQuarrie & Clare Nugent

A young child looks closely at some wildflowers in long grass. — Photo by Christina Berlinguet on Unsplash

Noticing Nature – Supporting Your Wellbeing and Mental Health at All Ages

When did you last pause to really notice the world around you? Perhaps you spotted a robin perched on a garden fence, felt rough bark beneath your fingertips, or heard leaves rustling in the wind. These simple moments of engaging with nature are tools for supporting mental health and wellbeing and they matter at every stage of life.

Hands-On Discovery

There is something special about direct, unstructured contact with the natural world. Research into nature-based learning reveals that children who engage in what experts call "first-hand experiences" – touching stones, splashing in puddles, examining insects, building with sticks – develop deep connections to their environment.

The most meaningful nature experiences often happen in everyday spaces: local parks, gardens, even that patch of untamed ground at the end of the street. What matters is the quality of attention we bring to these encounters and the freedom to explore without rigid instructions or outcomes.

During a study at botanic gardens in Edinburgh and Melbourne, researchers observed families engaging with specially designed nature play areas. Children enjoyed hammocks to swing in, long grasses to run through, mud to squish between their toes, and stones to arrange and rearrange. Both children and adults in these environments displayed creativity, curiosity and a sense of calm.

Nature as a Restorative Space

One of the most striking findings was how nature provided what researchers call "restorative experiences". Children sat quietly observing insects, tracing patterns in water, or simply gazing at plants. Adults reported feeling relaxed in ways that the busyness of daily life rarely allows. As one parent noted, there was "no urgency to rush onto the next thing."

This restorative quality comes from the natural environment that allows our minds to rest from the near constant demands of modern life. We can let our attention wander without guilt, engage our senses without overstimulation and be present in the moment. For children especially, this kind of unhurried exploration supports emotional regulation and mental wellbeing in ways that structured play often cannot.

Two young children make a wigwam out of sticks in the woods. — Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Open Ended Resources

Central to the success of these nature play spaces was what researchers call "loose parts" – natural materials that have no fixed purpose and can be moved, combined, and transformed through imagination and play. Sticks become magic wands, stones become stepping paths, leaves become boats sailing on puddles. This open-ended interaction feeds imagination and gives children a sense of agency and creativity. Adults also benefit from the freedom to engage with nature on their own terms. This could involve arranging pebbles into patterns, feeling the texture of different tree barks, or listening to bird songs; these simple activities offer moments of mindfulness that reduce stress and enhance wellbeing.

Creating Nature Experiences for Everyone

One concern that often arises is whether encouraging direct nature contact might cause harm to fragile ecosystems. By designating specific areas for nature play and carefully selecting which materials to introduce (fallen branches, stones, native plants), it is clear that meaningful nature engagement and conservation can coexist. The research showed that negative environmental impact was minimal. Children followed paths, used resources respectfully, and contrary to concerns, showed little interest in "keeping tokens" from nature. This suggests that with thoughtful planning, spaces like botanic gardens, community parks and even school grounds can accommodate nature-rich play without compromising their conservation goals.

Bridging the Nature Gap

Public green spaces – from botanic gardens to local parks – have a crucial role to play in bridging this gap. They can serve as community meeting places where families from all backgrounds feel welcome to spend time outdoors. As one study participant reflected, having regular opportunities for nature play helps children "notice seasonal changes" and "fix stories about nature in their memories."

A child's muddy palms held above muddy puddles. — Photo by Ellie Storms on Unsplash

The Edinburgh interventions succeeded with minimal additions: hammocks, a dripping hosepipe, access to naturally occurring materials like stones and logs. What matters more than equipment is approach, effective nature engagement spaces do not require expensive infrastructure. Spaces that encourage exploration rather than prescribe activity; areas where getting muddy is acceptable rather than discouraged; environments where adults can relax rather than constantly supervise. This requires shifting institutional culture as much as physical design.

The research also highlights seasonal opportunities. The long grass of summer meadows, autumn's fallen leaves, winter's bare branches, spring's emerging growth – each season offers different possibilities for engagement. Working with these natural rhythms, rather than creating static installations, keeps spaces interesting and models ecological awareness.

These spaces matter for adults too. Visiting gardens and green spaces provides what psychologists call "being away" – that sense of stepping out of daily routines into somewhere restorative. For parents and caregivers, watching children engage freely with nature can itself be calming, offering a chance for conversation and connection.

Noticing as Practice

Perhaps most importantly, engaging with nature teaches us the art of noticing. When children are given time and permission to explore without adult-led activities, they develop their own questions and make their own discoveries. They learn to pay attention, to wonder, to be curious. These are skills that serve wellbeing throughout life.

The research documented children imitating bird songs, creating fantasy narratives about fairies in the garden and expressing genuine fascination with small details – the way water drips, how moss feels, what happens when you arrange stones in different patterns. This engagement represents the development of ecological literacy and environmental empathy.

Next time you are outdoors, try slowing down. Touch the bark of a tree. Watch clouds move across the sky. Listen for different bird calls. These experiences are being recognised by research and show increasing links to improved mental health, reduced anxiety and enhanced life satisfaction.

Looking Forward

As we think about supporting children's mental health keep in mind that simple strategies are powerful. Access to nature, time for unstructured play, and permission to get muddy, climb trees and explore freely support wellbeing at every age.

Two children carry a large branch through the woods. — Photo by Duygu Güngör on Unsplash

Whether you are a parent, educator, or simply someone seeking better mental health, the message is clear: notice nature. Touch it, smell it, listen to it. Give children the freedom to do the same. These moments of connection require no special equipment and offer benefits that extend far beyond the time spent outdoors.

In a world that often feels overwhelming, nature offers something precious: a place to simply be, to wonder, to restore ourselves.

Further resources:

For those interested in exploring the connections between nature, active lives and young people's wellbeing in greater depth, the University of Manchester's research collection "Active Lives, Natural Spaces: Supporting Children and Young People's Wellbeing and Mental Health" offers valuable insights and practical guidance. This freely accessible collection brings together research findings, case studies, and tools designed to help educators, practitioners, and policymakers create environments that support children's mental health through engagement with nature and physical activity.

The collection is available at: https://doi.org/10.48420/c.8063509

Evidence: MacQuarrie S and Nugent C (2022) Making Provision for First-Hand Nature-Based Learning Within a Botanic Garden. Frontiers in Education. 7:778151. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.778151

Watch a short film about the research made by Sabine Hellmann in conjunction with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation funding.

For more information about:

Teacher Training the University of Manchester: www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/education/study/pgce/

Undertake a PGT Masters in Psychology of Education: www.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/courses/list/01527/med-psychology-of-education/

Authors Bio

Sarah MacQuarrie a Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester whose research considers nature-based and outdoor learning as vital to everyday education, promoting physical activity and connection with the natural environment to enrich mental health and wellbeing. Her work blends psychological insight with practical teaching innovations that support inclusive learning and foster stronger, healthier relationships between children, educators and the world around them.

Clare Nugent is an experienced educator and practitioner whose work champions outdoor and nature-based learning, exploring how direct engagement with natural environments enriches children’s play, learning and development. Her research and practice bridge teacher expertise and student experience to support outdoor education as a meaningful everyday context for discovery, connection and wellbeing.