The Covid generation and why outdoor learning matters more than ever 

During the pandemic, children in the UK experienced one of the most significant disruptions to education in modern history.

The Department for Education data shows that the vast majority of pupils were affected by school closures between March 2020 and early 2021. Many experienced several months of disrupted or reduced in-person schooling.

At the same time, children’s daily routines shifted significantly. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data on children’s wellbeing during the pandemic highlighted increases in time spent online and reductions in physical activity, with many children spending most of their day indoors.

This resulted in less movement, less face-to-face interaction and fewer opportunities for unstructured play.

That does not simply reverse.

You do not spend a sustained period being told to stay apart, limit contact and avoid proximity, and then immediately return to previous patterns of behaviour.

Especially during formative years.

The longer-term effects are now becoming clearer.

NHS Digital reported that in 2023, around 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 16 had a probable mental health condition, compared with 1 in 9 in 2017.  The Department for Education data shows a sustained increase in persistent absence rates since the pandemic. Schools and educators are reporting increased anxiety, lower confidence in group environments and greater difficulty with attention and emotional regulation.

These are not isolated cases. They reflect a broader shift in experience.

This is not about children being less resilient. It is about the conditions they have experienced. If early experiences include reduced social contact, increased time indoors and limited exposure to shared environments, then returning to busy, interactive settings requires adjustment. This is where outdoor learning plays a critical role.

Not as an enrichment activity, but as a structured and evidence-based response. Outdoor environments provide space, which reduces sensory intensity and allows for greater freedom of movement. They naturally reintroduce physical activity. They create opportunities for real-world problem solving and collaboration. In practice, you often see children who struggle indoors settle quickly when given a clear task outside. They also introduce controlled challenge. Weather, terrain and unfamiliar tasks require young people to adapt, persist and work things out in real time.

ONS wellbeing data shows that people who spend time outdoors report higher levels of life satisfaction and lower levels of anxiety. These environments support the development of confidence, communication and resilience in a practical way.

The pandemic reduced many of these experiences. Play became more restricted. Risk was minimised rather than managed. Discomfort was reduced where possible. However, resilience is not developed in fully controlled environments. It develops through manageable challenge, interaction and experience.

Outdoor learning reintroduces these elements. It allows young people to work together, solve problems and rebuild confidence through action rather than instruction. It also supports those who may feel overwhelmed in more traditional classroom settings.

This is not about replacing classroom learning. It is about recognising what is missing. If a generation has experienced disruption to social, physical and experiential development, then education systems need to respond accordingly.

Five years on, the question is no longer what was lost. It is what needs to be rebuilt.

Outdoor learning provides one of those environments.

Not because it is easier. Because it is real.

And for the Covid generation, real experience is not optional. It is necessary.

Sources: Office for National Statistics (ONS) – Children’s wellbeing and time use data NHS Digital – Mental Health of Children and Young People in England (2023) Department for Education (DfE) – School attendance and absence data