Country Life Blog

Why We Take Students Outdoors

    • 8th Grade Canoeing

      IMG_4502 2

The Science Behind Outdoor Education

A perspective from The Country School's 70 years of educational leadership.

Last week, our 8th Graders wset off for three days of camping, hiking, and paddling at Gay City State Park. They pitched tents, cooked meals together, navigated trails, and slept under the stars. For many of them, it will be one of the most transformative experiences of their Country School journey.

As educators who have been pioneering outdoor learning for seven decades, we understand that some families—especially those with younger children—may wonder why we place such emphasis on outdoor education. The answer lies in both research and experience.

The Educational Foundation

At The Country School, outdoor education isn't an "add-on" or a reward for good behavior. It's a carefully scaffolded curriculum component that builds systematically: 4th Graders begin with overnight camping on campus, 5th and 6th Graders venture to nearby locations like Bushy Hill and Mountain Lakes Camp, 7th Graders embark on two-day adventures including the Appalachian Trail, and 8th Graders spend three full days in wilderness settings. Our Signature Program extends even to travel experiences in places like Moab, Utah.

This progression isn't accidental. Research in developmental psychology confirms what we've observed for 70 years: children need increasingly complex challenges to build genuine confidence and resilience.

What the Research Tells Us

Modern neuroscience supports what educators have long suspected about outdoor learning:

Risk Assessment and Executive Function: When students navigate real terrain, assess weather conditions, or solve problems in nature, they activate multiple areas of the brain simultaneously. Studies show that outdoor problem-solving strengthens executive function more effectively than classroom simulations.

Stress Resilience: Dr. Ming Kuo's research at the University of Illinois demonstrates that nature experiences literally rewire the brain's stress response system. Students who regularly engage with outdoor challenges show improved ability to manage academic and social pressures.

Social-Emotional Development: The collaborative nature of outdoor challenges—from cooking together to helping a teammate up a difficult trail—builds what researchers call "collective efficacy." Students learn they can rely on others and that others can rely on them.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

In our 70 years of operation, we've witnessed dramatic changes in childhood. Today's students face unprecedented levels of screen time, structured activities, and academic pressure. Research by Dr. Peter Gray shows that free outdoor play, once universal, has declined by 90% since the 1970s.

This matters because outdoor experiences teach lessons that screens and traditional classrooms cannot:
  • Authentic Risk Management: Learning to assess real consequences in safe but challenging environments
  • Embodied Learning: Understanding concepts like physics, weather patterns, and ecosystems through direct experience
  • Intrinsic Motivation: Developing self-direction when external rewards and punishments aren't present
  • Present-Moment Awareness: Building focus and mindfulness that carries into academic work

Our Unique Position

As far as we know, The Country School is one of the last remaining schools in the nation that makes overnight outdoor education a standard part of the curriculum from elementary through 8th Grade. This isn't just tradition—it's educational leadership based on evidence.

Our seven decades of data show consistent outcomes: students who progress through our outdoor education sequence demonstrate higher levels of:
  • Academic resilience when facing difficult concepts
  • Leadership skills in group settings
  • Self-advocacy in challenging situations
  • Environmental stewardship throughout their lives

The Empathy Connection

This year, as we focus on empathy as part of our CARES framework, outdoor education plays a crucial role. When students share the vulnerability of sleeping in tents, help each other through physical challenges, or work together to cook meals, they develop deep empathy through shared experience. Research by Dr. Sara Konrath shows that experiential empathy learned through shared challenge is more durable than empathy taught through discussion alone.

A Message to Families

When your child prepares for their first camping experience—whether as a 4th Grader sleeping on campus or an 8th Grader heading into the wilderness—remember that some nervousness is natural and valuable. As educators with 70 years of experience, we've learned that growth often begins with stepping outside our comfort zones. 

The confidence, resilience, and empathy your child develops around a campfire or on a mountain trail will serve them far beyond their school years. In our rapidly changing world, these human skills—learned in the most human of environments—remain our most valuable assets.

The Country School has been a leader in outdoor education since 1955. Our Outdoor Education Signature Program serves students from PreSchool through 8th grade, with age-appropriate challenges designed by experienced educators and outdoor professionals.
Start Your Journey
341 Opening Hill Road, Madison, CT 06443
P. 203-421-3113 |  Health Office F. 860-469-2550
Founded in 1955, The Country School is a coeducational, independent school serving students in PreSchool-Grade 8. The Country School is committed to active, hands-on learning and a vigorous curriculum that engages the whole child.

The Country School is a community where diversity is celebrated and people of Color are welcomed, valued and supported. 
 
We do not discriminate - nor do we tolerate discrimination - based upon age, gender, race, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic predisposition, ancestry, social and economic status, or other categories protected by Connecticut or federal law.
 
The Country School employs without regard to gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin, and sexual orientation to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities made available to its community. The Country School is an EOE Employer.