Naturally Clever
The Blaser Group supported the first ‘Kids in Nature’ conference in Denmark during the Brahetrolleborg Game Fair last year. International participants discussed challenges, exchanged scientific findings and presented successful examples of effective, nature-based educational initiatives.
Learning better outdoors?
Hunting game, preparing it and then eating it together round a campfire? What may be part of everyday school life for Danish children is almost unimaginable in Germany. Yet it is precisely such interactions that create a connection with nature which would never be possible through forest walks alone. “Those who are part of the cycle of nature can develop a deeper contextual understanding of their natural surroundings,” says Karen Barfod, Head of Research in Outdoor Studies at VIA University College, “getting involved means experiencing nature more intensely and, consequently, respecting it more.” For more than 20 years, she has been investigating the importance of incorporating nature into educational processes and outdoor learning activities. “Today, we know that outdoor education has many benefits for children,” explains Karen Barfod. “Physical activity and shared experiences that engage all the senses create ideal conditions for increasing the learning success of pupils.” She emphasizes that outdoor learning need not be limited to the natural sciences: “Learning success often increases in other subjects as well, because children are more focused and can often literally ‘grasp’ the topic.”
Her research findings met with great interest at the ‘Kids in Nature’ conference, as integrating nature into school activities is not as easy everywhere as it is in Denmark. There, for example, individual teachers are allowed to decide whether to hold lessons outdoors. “We are perhaps not as safety-conscious as some other countries,” says Karen Barfod, explaining the greater willingness to hold lessons outside the classroom, “as Danes are generally less safety-concerned and thus have more confidence that children can cope in a new environment.”
Nature sparks curiosity
Whilst students are open to going outdoors anyway, it is often the teachers who have reservations about regularly incorporating outdoor learning into their lessons. “Then we are happy to support them with appropriate class-management and class-teaching methods to make outdoor learning effective,” emphasizes Karen Barfod, later providing practical insights into how to use a rope to connect pupils and create a suitable framework for structured communication, even in nature. Simple and effective. Denmark even has its own educational approach called Udeskole, which focuses on learning outside the classroom during regular school hours. Studies from recent years confirm that the concept not only has a positive impact on mathematical understanding and reading skills, but also supports science learning and fosters pupils’ curiosity
Young conservationists needed
The Danish Hunting and the Danish Sport Fishing Association have been working for years as part of the ‘Naturally Smart’ project to give as many children as possible the opportunity to experience nature, thereby laying the foundations for a better understanding of natural cycles. The initiative offers two key resources: a platform that brings together educators and volunteer nature guides, and a collection of teaching materials. For Franz Holmberg from the Danish Hunting Association, this cooperation between nature associations and schools is an important prerequisite for the sustainable use of our natural resources in the future. “We need conservationists who know and understand the needs of nature from their own experience,” says Franz Holmberg, adding: “Wildlife is a renewable resource that we use through hunting, and we want to present hunting honestly and bluntly so that children and young people can form their own opinions based on facts.”
The level of acceptance of hunting in Denmark proves that educators and nature conservation organizations are on the right track. The Nordic country achieves dream scores: around 90 per cent of the population agrees with hunting in Denmark – even though only three per cent of Danes actually hunt.
Danish inspirations
After two days of presentations, discussions and exchanges, participants from Europe and the USA are taking many ideas home with them. “We can’t implement this exactly as it is,” says Ronja Stöckli of JagdSchweiz, the Swiss hunting association, “because our circumstances are too different, but the positive examples and ideas inspire us to pursue this topic in Switzerland as well.” The Danish Hunting Association has already announced its next project: ‘Time for a trip – The quick way for families to get out into nature’, a collaboration with the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, the Danish Sport Fishing Association and with the support of the Aage V. Jensen Nature Foundation. ”Many parents would like to spend more time with their children in nature, but don’t feel sufficiently prepared to do so,” says Franz Holmberg. “‘The Time for a Trip’ initiative helps with this. Our aim is to make it easier for children and their families to experience nature together!”
Text: Alexandra Berton, Photos: Alexandra Berton, Jonas Nørregaard, @JonasOutside.
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