Under the Trees: When Nature Becomes the Safe Space

Some children don’t need a quieter room. They need no room at all.

The first time I took a session outdoors, it wasn’t because of a clever plan. It was because nothing was working.

The child had refused to enter the room. He’d pushed the chair, shaken the door, and curled up by the cupboard. Inside that room, the air felt too still. Too watched. Too tense. I could see it in his breathing, and I could hear it in the silence that followed my questions.

So I asked, “Want to go outside?”

He ran ahead before I could finish the sentence.

We sat under a tree, his choice.

He didn’t look at me for ten minutes.

Then he picked up a dry leaf, turned it over, and said, “This is crunchy. Like my brain.”

No worksheet could have unlocked that.

When Indoors Feels Like a Cage

We often believe that structure equals safety, including schedules. Seating. Behaviour charts. Indoor rooms.

But for many neurodivergent children, these structures can feel like traps.

The flicker of tube lights. The scratch of plastic chairs. The echo of footsteps in narrow halls. The pressure of being watched.

And when these children bolt, freeze, fidget, or lash out, we often try to tighten the system.

What they really need is for us to loosen the grip.

They’re not resisting help.

They’re resisting the setting.

What Happens When We Shift the Environment

Outdoors, something changes.

The child no longer feels boxed in. Their senses aren’t assaulted. Their bodies find rhythm in the grass, in walking, in swinging their legs over a stone.

They are no longer the focus. Nature is.

This reduces pressure.

And when pressure drops, communication can begin.

I’ve had children paint with twigs, hum as they trace sand patterns, role-play using shadows, and build nests with dry leaves, calling them “safe homes”.

These aren’t just activities. Their language.

We think of it as talking. However, it often begins with taking action. With being. With belonging.

Outdoors, the hierarchy of adult-child dissolves. We become co-explorers.

What You Can Try

You don’t need a forest or a garden.

You need openness.

Try this:

Offer the child a choice of space: balcony, yard, terrace, or park.Begin the session without an agenda. Let the materials be simple: paper, sticks, water, and chalk.Follow their lead. Observe what they touch, what they repeat.Use the elements around you to mirror emotions:

  “That rock looks heavy. Are you feeling something heavy?”

  “The wind is fast today. Is your mind running too?”

You’ll notice how often children start drawing out what’s inside when the outside doesn’t push back.

Why This Matters for Shadow Teachers, Educators, and Parents

We’re taught to stick to routines. And that works until it doesn’t.

The moment a child starts showing you signs of shutdown, overwhelm, or distress, it’s not a behaviour problem. It’s a sensory and emotional signal.

The solution might not be in a new strategy.

It might lie under a tree, next to a stone, or in the silence of the sky above.

In Closing

Under the trees is not a replacement. It’s a reminder.

The most effective support is not always structured.

Sometimes, it’s simply present.

Sometimes, it steps out of the plan and into the light.

If you’re supporting a neurodivergent child who seems unreachable in traditional settings, don’t give up.

Try a different door. Or better yet, no door at all.

Need help finding what works for your child or student?

Book a 1:1 consultation with me here

Let’s work together to create safer, softer spaces for every child.

Recommended

Sensory Tools to Bring Outdoors

To support self-expression and sensory regulation during outdoor sessions, consider these affordable kits:

Tickit Sensory Rainbow Glitter Balls – Pack of 6 : Perfect for calming through tactile play, these soft, squeezable, shimmer-filled balls allow kids to manipulate them in natural light. Kinetic Sand Sensory Case : Brings the tactile freedom of sand to a portable set ideal for drawing patterns in the soil or experimenting with texture under the shade of a tree.

These tools can help build focus, draw out emotion, or simply invite play without screens or pressure.

Free Courses to Deepen Your Practice

Take your knowledge further with these   courses that align closely with outdoor, child-centred approaches:

Child Counselling and Psychotherapy – Offers foundational insights into working with children’s emotional worlds using creative, non‑directive methods. Child Development: Play Therapy – Explores how natural play facilitates emotional healing, communication, and growth. Outdoor Education – Adventure – Though geared to group facilitation, it offers ideas for structuring safe, sensory-rich sessions outdoors.

Each is free, self-paced, and includes certification options, making it perfect for shadow teachers, students, and parents to integrate meaningful play into real-world settings.

These products and courses can amplify the impact of “Under the Trees” by blending hands-on tools with a deeper theoretical understanding.