Attending a boarding school or preparatory day school – especially one in an environment as lovely as New Hampshire’s White Mountains – comes with countless benefits: key among them, the ability to be part of an inclusive community. There’s also the opportunity to participate in group activities like team sports. And while exercise comes with its own bevy of health benefits, group play can also offer social and personal growth opportunities like leadership skills, sportsmanship, and community spirit.
Of course, there’s another plus when it comes to play: It often takes place outside—and whether it’s a dose of vitamin D, a wash of fresh air, or the calm of green trees, nature can offer students plenty of goodness when it comes to overall health.
There’s a growing body of research showing that time outside can lower stress and boost feelings of mental well-being. One study out of Stanford University found that spending time outside could reduce ‘rumination,’ essentially helping to clear one’s mind. Those who participated in the study spent 90 minutes walking in a natural setting, and remarked that they experienced fewer negative thoughts—findings that were later confirmed by brain scans.
Another more recent study published in the journal Nature showed that walking for an hour in a natural setting versus an urban one slowed activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that shows stress. Study participants had improved focus and cognitive performance, even hours after their walk.
According to Robert Zarr, MD, founder and director of Park Prescription at Unity Health Care and Park Rx Advisor to the National Park Service, time spent outside can not only help prevent stress and obesity, it can also help manage ADHD symptoms that can negatively impact academic performance. Outdoor time can also help lower blood pressure and even improve asthma symptoms.
These days, though, with the rise of computer use, social media, and video games, kids aren’t always getting the outdoor time they need. What’s more, statistics show that rates of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are 56% higher in urban environments than more natural or rural settings. Author Richard Louv created the term ‘nature deficit disorder’ in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Louv describes the phenomenon as an ‘alienation’ of sorts from the natural world. It’s now nearly two decades later, and the growth of cities and allure of technology aren’t diminishing. It’s now essential for human beings—and especially growing children—to get outside.
Aside from the proof that nature can essentially care for us, it’s of course important to take care of the planet, too. Outdoor education is a standout feature of life at the White Mountain School. Not only can students get outside and develop wilderness skills, they learn how to care for the Earth. Whether canoeing, backpacking, hiking, biking, conducting outdoor community service, or having academic coursework in the wild—students can reap countless rewards, giving back to nature while enjoying all the benefits it provides.
