by Joe Dale

NewsDecember 18, 20200 comments

Can Outdoor Activities Help a Child With Anxiety?

Can outdoor activities help a child with anxiety? Here at Calvert Trust Exmoor we truly believe that the answer is yes!

Read on as we explain why adventure breaks and outdoor activities help with anxiety in children of all ages.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotion that is perfectly normal to experience. It can be described as a feeling of tension alongside worried or negative thoughts. Which is something we all go through occasionally.

However, anxiety can become more than an emotion and start to influence our lives. For example, people with anxiety may avoid situations they worry about. Others may constantly find their emotions hard to control so it affects their lives more dramatically, leading to many anxiety-based disorders of varying degrees.

Those with anxiety disorders frequently worry about and fear everyday situations at intense, excessive, and persistent levels.

Anxiety disorders and mental health are closely related and often influence each other.

Why would a child have anxiety?

There are many reasons why children could be feeling anxious. Key causes of anxiety include…

Separation – younger children tend to experience separation anxiety from parents or loved ones and do not want to be away from them.

Phobias – irrational fears such as heights, bugs etc.

Life experiences – remembering past events that they believe went badly or reflecting on negative feelings can cause anxiety in similar situations.

Social settings – being shy and not confident when meeting new people, or expecting to feel embarrassed, silly, or rejected by others.

Life changes – anxiety can be brought on by changes to the everyday routine, new settings, unfamiliar situations, moving to a new house and school, or the loss of a close relative or friend.

What are the signs of anxiety in children?

Each child displays their anxiety differently, but common signs include…

• Becoming irritable
• Having difficulty sleeping or having bad dreams
• Finding it hard to concentrate
• Losing appetite or not eating properly
• Constantly worrying or having negative thoughts
• Asking lots of questions or needing reassurance
• Feeling tense and fidgety
• Complaining of tummy aches and feeling unwell
• Lack of confidence to do everyday things
• Avoiding activities they previously enjoyed, such as seeing friends, going out or going to school

How can disability contribute to anxiety?

Anxiety can affect any child or adult, but children with a disability may be extra prone to feeling anxiety.

Depending on the disability or condition, a child may have additional difficulties in social settings and may face further struggles with change.

It’s also likely that their life experiences are unique to them and different to those without disabilities; they may feel that no-one else understands what they have gone through and that they can’t do what others can. Many people with disabilities feel social isolation and loneliness.

Therefore, their anxiety rates are high, leading to additional disorders.

It can be difficult for children with learning disabilities to express their feelings of anxiety. They may not understand their feelings and what is causing them, so cannot easily talk about them. Trying to express anxious feelings with limited communication skills can lead to misunderstandings, causing anxiety to intensify.

10 ways outdoor activities can help a child with anxiety…

1 – An improved sense of wellbeing

Outdoor activities usually take place in quiet places, away from the hustle of everyday life, especially at adventure centres like Calvert Trust Exmoor located in the countryside next to a national park.

Just by being in an environment surrounded by nature brings on an improved sense of wellbeing and is relaxing, reducing anxiety in general. Fresh air, trees and pretty views put the mind at ease even at a young age.

2 – An acceptance of new experiences

Structured outdoor activities can encourage an openness to new experiences. Doing new activities helps children learn that they can do things they didn’t think possible. Which reduces fears, worries and anxieties.

The support and encouragement of those around them improves their experience and helps them overcome phobias, improve social confidence, and build positive memories.

3 – A new way of thinking

By going through new experiences, children can develop a new way of thinking.

For example – a child abseiling for the first time has probably never thought about how to abseil before. In the build-up, they may nervous and worried about falling. Yet with the help of Activity Instructors and those around them, the child will learn about the equipment, how the ropes work, and will take on important information. This makes them focus on how to abseil rather than worrying about whether they can or not, reducing anxiety.

Also, overcoming outdoor activity fears can develop resilience and mental toughness whilst creating positive memories, reducing anxiety in the future.

4 – An increase in confidence and independence

There is often a huge sense of accomplishment and excitement during outdoor activities which improves confidence and self-belief.

Completing an activity teaches a child that they are competent and good enough to do it, acting as an inspiration to attempt other goals. Feelings of self-doubt are overcome and replaced with perseverance – improving confidence and lowing levels of anxiety.

Many children also feel a sense of independence. This could be because they become open to doing activities and exercises that we may not regularly do. An effect of this is a freshly engaged mind and fresh determination.

5 – Different stimulation

Being outdoors doing activates provides different and new stimuli. By embracing them, children can increase their ability to be in unfamiliar places. Seeing, smelling, hearing and doing new things becomes less overwhelming, and the idea of somewhere ‘new’ doesn’t seem as daunting.

6 – A connection with others

A sense of belonging and community can form between children when in an unfamiliar environment. The process of doing new activities together connects children, especially when several of the group are anxious.

This shared feeling of anxiety is what bonds children who have just met, and they can quickly form a team or friendship.

7 – Acquiring new skills 

By doing outdoor activities, children can learn skills whilst improving general coordination and motor skills. In the long run, this improves self-confidence and allows them to see themselves in a positive light.

Anxiety reduces as they build confidence and experience different ways to learn and succeed.

8 – Reduced stress

It is well documented that stress and fatigue, caused by any number of things, can contribute to anxiety. A stressed child could struggle to deal with their feelings, so anxiety grows.

Outdoor activities help overcome phobias such as heights, encourage socialising and offer positive life experiences, reducing stress and lowing anxiety levels.

9 – A feeling of responsibility and control

As listed above, children can have anxiety because of what they are going through at that moment in time. Giving them the responsibility and control over the situation helps reduce fears.

During outdoor activity sessions, the children always feel in control of their own actions. A child may be encouraged to take part, but it is ultimately their decision if they do or not. Subconsciously this reduces anxiety as they always feel in control and make their own decisions.

10 – An improvement in mental health 

As previously mentioned, anxiety can have an impact on mental health and vice versa. We have another news piece focusing on how breaks at an adventure centre can improve mental health and therefore help with anxiety.

At the Calvert Trust Exmoor centre, we often meet anxious children who do not think they will enjoy their stay or are worried about doing certain outdoor activities. 

Then they have a wonderful time and love every activity. The children conquer their fears and leave with a positive mindset. 

If nothing else, children spending time with family or friends causes them to relax and enjoy the experience, helping them to understand anxiety and developing their skills to get past their worries in other settings.

We provide outdoor activities in a safe environment, with trained instructors who really get to know the children, which also helps with anxiety.

Our adventure breaks include activities, accommodation, meals and use of the facilities all on one site. If you are interested in learning more or would like to book, please call 01598 763221.