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Cultivating Gratitude Through Outdoor Learning

Blog cover photo: Cultivating Gratitude in Nature. A young girl sitting on a swing looking out into a forest

As the seasons shift and autumn invites us to slow down, it’s the perfect time to bring gratitude into our teaching practice. Gratitude doesn’t just make us feel good in the moment — it helps students build resilience, empathy, and a deeper connection to the world around them. Research shows that gratitude boosts positive emotions, strengthens relationships, and even improves student attitudes toward school (Greater Good Science Center, n.d.; EdWeek, 2022).

When we take gratitude outdoors, those benefits multiply. Nature naturally encourages presence and reflection, making it an ideal setting for practicing thankfulness. Studies have found that gratitude enhances our connection to the natural world and increases our willingness to care for the environment (Jans-Beken et al., 2022).

Quote Card: When we take gratitude outdoors, those benefits multiply. Nature naturally encourages presence and reflection, making it an ideal setting for practicing thankfulness.

Why Gratitude Belongs Outdoors

Spending time outdoors grounds us. Surrounded by fresh air, shifting light, and natural sounds, students often become calmer and more observant. Gratitude practices in these spaces help children notice the little things — the crunch of leaves, the warmth of sunlight, or the teamwork of ants at work.

Practicing gratitude in nature also supports classroom culture. When students pause to share appreciation, they learn to value each other, respect the environment, and recognize the positive moments that happen every day. Outdoor settings amplify this impact, supporting mental health, social-emotional skills, and academic engagement (Verywell Mind, 2023).

Simple Gratitude Practices Outdoors

Here are a few quick, practical ways to bring gratitude into your next outdoor lesson:

  • Gratitude Circles: Gather your students outside and invite each child to share one thing in nature they’re thankful for. This could be as simple as “the shade from the tree” or “the sound of birds.”
  • Nature Journals: Provide a few quiet minutes for students to write or draw three things they appreciate about their surroundings. Younger children may enjoy sketching; older students might add descriptive words or short reflections.
  • Gratitude Walks: Lead your class on a slow walk and encourage them to notice small details. Afterward, invite each student to share one discovery they are grateful for. Activities like these strengthen self-awareness and social skills while deepening students’ relationship with nature (GGIE, n.d.).
  • Object Gratitude: Have each student find a natural object (a stone, leaf, or pinecone). In a circle, they can share why they chose it and what it reminds them to be thankful for.

Seasonal Gratitude Rituals

Fall offers wonderful opportunities for classroom traditions. A few ideas to try:

  • Gratitude Tree: Post a large tree outline on your bulletin board or classroom wall. Each time your class goes outside, students can add a paper leaf with something they’re thankful for. Over the weeks, your tree will “grow” with gratitude.
  • Harvest Reflections: Link gratitude to seasonal cycles. Ask students what they’re thankful for in their community — farmers, pollinators, or the foods that nourish them. Research shows gratitude for natural systems encourages stewardship and pro-environmental action (Jans-Beken et al., 2022).
  • Nature Art: Create a collective gratitude mural by pressing leaves, seeds, or flowers into clay or painting them onto paper. Each piece can represent something students appreciate.

Connecting Gratitude to Curriculum

Gratitude practices outdoors don’t have to be an “extra.” They can easily tie into your curriculum:

  • Literacy: Encourage students to write gratitude poems, haikus, or letters addressed to elements of nature.
  • Art: Explore gratitude mandalas using leaves, stones, or seeds arranged in patterns.
  • Science: Discuss the role of pollinators, soil, or water cycles and reflect on why we’re grateful for these systems.
  • Social-Emotional Learning: Link gratitude circles to lessons on empathy, kindness, and community building. Students who practice gratitude regularly report greater engagement, deeper connection to their subject matter, and increased motivation to learn (Grateful.org, n.d.).
A group of school children sitting on some grass having a discussion

Closing Thought

Gratitude is a simple yet powerful practice that benefits both students and teachers. By stepping outdoors and noticing the gifts around us, we nurture joy, presence, and connection in our classrooms. Gratitude practices have been consistently linked to improved wellbeing, emotional resilience, and optimism (Wood et al., 2010).

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, I encourage you to try just one gratitude practice with your students outside. It doesn’t need to be elaborate — even a few mindful breaths and a quick “thank you” for the sunshine can make a difference.

Let’s make space for gratitude in our outdoor learning journeys — one leaf, one moment, one thankful heart at a time.

Looking for an easy way to take gratitude outdoors, check out this Nature-Themed Gratitude Journal!

Quote Care: Gratitude is a simple yet powerful practice that benefits both students and teachers. By stepping outdoors and noticing the gifts around us, we nurture joy, presence, and connection in our classrooms

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References

EdWeek. (2022, November 22). The surprising benefits of gratitude everyone should know about. Education Week. Retrieved September 3, 2025, from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-the-surprising-benefits-of-gratitude-everyone-should-know-about/2022/11

Greater Good Science Center. (n.d.). Expanding gratitude in education. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved September 3, 2025, from https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/what_we_do/major_initiatives/expanding_gratitude/gratitude_partnerships/education

Greater Good in Education (GGIE). (n.d.). Gratitude nature walk. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved September 3, 2025, from https://ggie.berkeley.edu/practice/gratitude-nature-walk/

Grateful.org. (n.d.). Gratitude in education. Retrieved September 3, 2025, from https://grateful.org/resource/gratitude-in-education/

Jans-Beken, L., Pineda, A., & Le Nguyen, K. D. (2022). Gratitude and connection with nature: A study examining the effect of gratitude on connectedness to nature and pro-environmental behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 908138. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.908138

Verywell Mind. (2023, March 21). What is outdoor learning, and how can it benefit your child? Retrieved September 3, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/outdoor-learning-school-kids-benefits-expert-advice-6455659

Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 890–905. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005