Learning life skills outside 

Despite the immense value of traditional education, outdoor nature-based learning teaches our children essential life skills that go beyond a textbook. As educationalist Margaret McMillan said, “The best classroom and the richest classroom is roofed only by the sky.”

Here at Cottage by the Sea, as an organisation dedicated to outdoor education, we see daily how time in nature transforms young people. Camps aren’t just “a few nights away” – they build resilience, teamwork and confidence in ways classrooms and screens can’t.

Getting children outside – in the mountains, by the river or sea, at the local park – has always been powerful. But the real growth comes when experiences are reflected on and connected back to everyday life, building skills that last a lifetime. Cottage programs do exactly this – supporting young people to challenge themselves, expand their limits and broaden their horizons. 

Today, with more screen time, less community connection and growing anxiety, young people are missing out on opportunities to develop essential life skills. This isn’t just recreation – it’s essential education. Camps remain one of the most powerful ways to equip young people with the life skills they’ll carry into adulthood.

Sandy toes, windswept hair and grass-stained clothes come from actively engaging with the natural world – experiencing life with curiosity, wonder and adventure. Being active in the outdoors – particularly when facilitated for deeper learnings – changes lives and, in some cases, saves lives.