8 fun outdoor adventure schools in Singapore where kids can learn in nature

At Wildlings, kids are encouraged to learn and play in the great outdoors. Placing fun, wellness and holistic development at the heart of all they do, the forest school organises outdoor adventure camps, forest workshops, nature play, as well as parties and events. Sign your child up for a week of outdoor adventure camp (from $249), where they'll get to explore nature, invent tools, have campfires, and play stimulating games while making friends with fellow campers. Or you can start slow, with an accompanied forest school session ($45) or nature playtime ($24 for 2.5 hrs) at Wildlings' outdoor playground in Dempsey. 

Worried that your child is getting too much 'screen time'? The folks at Longkang Adventures are concerned too, prompting them to start their outdoor adventure company with the aim of getting kids back in touch with 'kidself' through play in the outdoors. Longkang Adventures has a range of unique programmes to choose from, from raft-building sessions, longkang fishing, a Robin Hood-inspired workshop (where kids craft bows and arrows out of wood found in the forest, and a Clementi Forest exploration. Itching for more? It also runs Budak Kampung ($200), a two-day and one-night camp that will have participants pitching their own tents, making their own food, and playing camp games. 

Forest School Singapore is all about child-directed play. During its camps and workshops, children are encouraged to decide the direction of their own forest school session – to encourage freedom, autonomy, curiosity and self-directed learning. Forest School runs a long-term Regular Session, but if you're not ready for such a commitment, you can sign up for the one-day camp for some outdoor fun at Dairy Farm Nature Park or an overnight hike. The Family Walk is also a great way for parents to let go of the reins and allow their children to lead and enjoy the nature walk in a wild but safe space. 

Whether it's a morning tramp in the forest, or an after-school nature play sesh, Forest Adventure Club has got the class for your kid. Forest Adventure Club believes in allowing kids the freedom to explore and flourish in nature, and has chosen a handful of fantastic spots for your kids to do so. Every week, qualified Forest School practitioners will take groups to places like Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Tampines Eco Green, Sentosa and more. Kids will get an invaluable hands-on learning experience and come away loving and respecting nature. The school also runs epic day trips and three-day camps (from $90/day) for those who desire a more thorough immersion.  

Roots and Boots is an urban forest school that's dedicated to improving kids' confidence, problem-solving skills, and cooperation through outdoor exploration and play. Suitable for children aged three years old and up, the school runs the Outdoor Classroom, a two-hour session that's chockful of meaningful activities, reflective experiences and interactions with peers and guides in a safe, natural environment. As with the Forest School pedagogy, the guides at Roots and Boots allow these sessions to be guided by the children's interests and ideas – resulting in organic and free-flowing sessions. 

At Nature Explorers School, they believe that the point of education is for children to understand their place in the world. And the best way to do that? By playing and learning in nature – especially during children's formative years. Adopting the Forest School child-led pedagogy, Nature Explorers School programmes aim to help kids to develop their interests, instincts, awareness and social skills through outdoor exploration. They conduct holiday camps as well as weekly 2.5 hour sessions (from $65 for a weekday trial session) for children aged three to 12, with activities including nature crafts, outdoor cooking, nature or intertidal walks, and many more. 

Kidz Treehouse fosters deep empathy and appreciation for nature through its campus-based forest school programmes and workshops. One standout is the nature-based student care programmes, where Kidz Treehouse provides homework supervision and enrichment classes from primary schools within the community. Kids can expect loads of fun activities, including indoor and outdoor play, speech and drama sessions, craft classes, and eco-learning. Kidz Treehouse also has outdoor programmes like Kidz Treehouse Explorers (for interaction with nature and its tools) and Forest Play (for fun with ropes, types and recycled wood) – to foster your child's confidence and creativity. 

Responsibility, risk-taking, and resiliency – these are the characteristics that Outdoor School Singapore hopes to foster in children through their dynamic, nature-based programmes. Suitable for four to nine-year-olds, Outdoor School Singapore's offerings include half- or full-day adventures, a four to 12-week programme, as well as an overnight camp. Whatever programme you sign your child up for, they'll get a good education in concepts like sustainability and eco-responsibility, while picking up grit through risky play and survival skills training – all in a safe and controlled environment.