This course will look at how being in nature can improve your wellbeing. We will use the Five Ways to Wellbeing to help us look at ways to; notice the natural world around you, connect with nature, exercise in nature, learn about nature and support the natural world. It has personal experience stories. You will have the chance to find ways to be safer how when exploring the outdoors. There is a list of things that stop us getting out into nature. The course has ideas about how you can still benefit from nature if you cannot go out.
New Economics Foundation looked into wellbeing in 2008. They found five things that change levels of wellbeing. This became the governments wellbeing advice, a bit like the ‘5 fruit and vegetables a day’ advice (Government Office for Science, 2008).
This course will take about 2 to 3 hours to complete. This timing will depend on how fast you read, the videos you watch and how long you spend on the questions. You do not need to complete the whole course in one go. If you leave and come back to the course, it will remember where you got up to.
If you would like to get a certificate for this course, you must mark each page complete. You can do this by pressing the ‘mark complete’ button at the bottom of each page.
Course updated: February 2025
You can find lots of information about nature via the National Trust website. They have a list of places that you can visit alongside a discover nature section providing the opportunity to learn about wildlife, nature and the coast alongside various other topics. You can access their website via the following link:
The Countryfile website has lots of information on being outdoors and British wildlife, alongside a how to section for green living and lots of news articles. You can access this website by clicking the following link:
The Forestry England website has a forest locator, a things to do section and forestry and wildlife section. You can access their website via the following link:
https://www.forestryengland.uk/
This book describes the Japanese art of forest bathing and demonstrates how reconnecting with nature, from walking mindfully in the woods, to taking time out in your local park can have proven benefits to wellbeing.
This book is about discovering a slow, mindful way of walking that supports wellbeing. Delorie discusses how to let all our senses take in all the sensory stimuli that woodlands have to offer. It explores how to allow the forest to be a ‘therapist’ and includes practical ways to help us connect deeply with nature.
This book discusses how to become more aware of the mind-body connection through running to increase wellbeing and physical fitness. It explores how you can relate to your mind, body and surroundings in a new way to support mental, emotional and physical health.
This book is an exploration of how and why we walk. It is based on real life experience and philosophy. It considers the connection between their inspiration and discusses how the physical act of walking has an impact on us, physically, spiritually, emotionally.
This book draws on scientific discoveries to demonstrate how deeply connected human beings are to the natural world. It explores this connection and shows how interacting with nature can have a profound impact on our experiences.