Post pandemic and in our increasingly tech-driven world, children's attainment at school is the lowest it has been for years. Add to that the dramatic rise in poor mental health in young people, and the cost of living crisis and it is no surprise that our children are struggling.

Where does TreeHouse fit in?

TreeHouse was set up to try and bridge the gap between what schools and parents can offer and what kids need to grow into robust, happy, creative individuals.

Schools don't have the time or resources to give children extended play and exploratory experiences. They can't deliver individual programmes to your unique child and as parents, we don't always have the time or the skills to provide that extra curricular 'play' time.

Free, exploratory play is crucial in a child's cognitive and physical development.

Here is just some of the evidence for giving your child outdoor and 'free' play opportunities:

Outdoor play improves your writing! 

Play that engages all the senses and especially play that strengthens hands, such as learning to use the monkey bars, or climb a tree, helps children learn to write. Every manipulation of their hands, like when they’re playing in the sand or mud, or collecting sticks and flowers, is building the necessary hand strength for writing.

Outdoor play improves your eye health!

Too much close-up work strains eyes and tired eyes make it hard for a child to concentrate and do the work that is asked of them. Studies show that children who spend a lot of time indoors are more likely to be nearsighted and may struggle to see more clearly in school. Outdoor play helps train the brain how to coordinate the body, which is important for binocular coordination of the eyes, skills necessary for reading and writing. Outdoor play is critical for a child’s physical and cognitive development. 

Outdoor ‘free’ play helps your reading!

Free and outdoor play helps foster creativity. Kids who are “bored” learn to invent their own fun. By building a fort out of sticks, hiking up and down a hill, or playing with bugs, children engage in storytelling, whether it’s out loud or in their own heads. This, in turn, generates a love of learning and reading. They learn to predict what’s coming up next in a story and grow their own imagination.

Outdoor play fosters independence and resilience

Research shows that as a result of participation in outdoor learning, a young person’s repertoire of resilient behaviours notably increases. This may include becoming more thoughtful towards others, being more independent or even being able to ask for help. And this resilience in turn, helps young people to perform successfully in educational settings. Outdoor experiences not only reinforce academic learning, but are shown to have a significant positive influence on various later life outcomes, including those relating to health, well-being and employment. 

Outdoor ‘free’ play improves mental health and well being

Being outside and engaged in free play with minimal direction by adults, automatically increases a child’s independence and resilience, whether it is through negotiating the terrain or weather, or learning how to work alongside their peers. Children need to take risks to become more adaptable, resourceful individuals and outdoor learning is a way to nurture this and therefore increase the physical and mental health of the individual.