Wellbeing ideas to try in nature

There's lots of different ways to connect with nature and enjoy nature. Don't worry if some ideas don't feel right for you. See if you can find some that do, or adapt one to suit you.

Getting dew and soil on my hands and smelling the lovely, earthy smells is one of the only times I can feel at ease without wanting earphones in to cancel the noise of my busy brain.

Grow or pick food

• Create a growing space. If you don't have access to a garden, you could plant salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot.
• Plant vegetables in your garden. The Thrive website has information to help you get started.
• Grow food together with others. Apply to share an allotment, or look for community gardens or food growing projects in your local area. See the National Allotment Society or your local council's website for more information. You can find your local council on GOV.UK.
• Go fruit picking. Look for local farms or orchards that let you pick fruit to buy. You might also find fruit growing in urban spaces, for example wild blackberries.
• Learn to find edible plants, known as food foraging. You could see if a foraging group meets in your local area. The Woodland Trust website has more information on foraging.

I very much enjoy being part of a community garden.  It's fantastic to see positive results in terms of seed and plant growth. And to harvest and feel part of the natural cycle of life. 

Bring nature indoors

• Buy flowers or potted plants for your home.
• Collect natural materials. For example, leaves, flowers, feathers, tree bark or seeds. Use them to decorate your living space or in art projects.
• Arrange a comfortable space to sit. For example, by a window where you can look out over a view of trees or sky.
• Grow plants or flowers on windowsills. See the Royal Horticultural Society website for tips on planting seeds indoors.
• Take photos of your favourite places in nature. Use them as backgrounds on a mobile phone or computer screen. Or print them and put them up on your walls.
• Listen to natural sounds. You could use recordings or apps that play birdsong, ocean waves or rainfall.
• Watch TV shows or videos of nature. You could try virtual walks or livestreams of wildlife.

Do activities outdoors

• Take a walk in green space or near water. For example, a local park or by a river.
• Get creative. Draw or paint animals or nature scenes, or let them inspire a poem or song lyrics. If you enjoy writing in a journal, try doing this outside.
• Eat meals outdoors. If you work indoors, try and have lunch outside. Have a picnic in a local park, or sit in a garden if you have one. This might be something you could enjoy doing with other people.
• Watch the stars. Use a stargazing website, app or book to help you recognise different stars. Or simply enjoy looking at the night sky. Give your eyes time to adjust, as it can take about 20 minutes before you can fully see stars in the dark.
• Exercise outside. Run or jog through a local park, or do yoga outdoors. You could try it by yourself, or look for classes in your local area.
• Join a local walking or rambling group. There's lots of different organised walking groups. For example, Ramblers or Black Girls Hike.
• Follow a woodland trail. Use the Forestry England and Natural Resources Wales (Cyfoeth Naturiol) websites to look for woodland near you.
• Go beachcombing. Visit the seaside and search the shoreline for interesting things.
• Try geocaching. Geocaching involves looking for items in hidden outdoor locations, using a mobile phone or tablet. The National Trust's website has more information on geocaching.

If you want time outdoors to be more focused on your mental health, you could find out if your local area runs any ecotherapy programmes.

Hill walking and camping help to keep depression and anxiety at bay for my partner, as does trekking and gentle hill walking for me. In nature your mind is free of the daily stresses and you can be in the moment instead.

Help the environment

Climate change can have a big impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

If climate change is affecting your mental health, spending time connecting to nature may help. You could also get involved with conservation activities or campaigns to protect the environment.

• Go on a litter picking walk. For example, in the park or on the beach. Visit the Keep Britain Tidy and Marine Conservation Society websites for details of clean ups in your area. 
• Volunteer for a conservation project. For suggestions see The Wildlife Trusts, Groundwork, Friends of the Earth and The Conservation Volunteers websites.
• Plant helpful seeds. For example, flowers to help bumblebees. You can use the Kew Grow Wild guide on wildflower seeds for information on the right seeds to plant. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has more information on bumblebees.
• Build an animal habitat. For example, a hedgehog house or a nest box. Or create a pond if you have space. 

Take notice of nature

• Find things you can see, hear, taste, smell or touch. For example, grass under your feet or the feeling of wind and sunlight.
• Keep a record of what you notice. Take photos or make notes in a diary or on your phone.
• Set yourself challenges. For example, you could try to notice 3 things in nature each day.
• Listen to recordings of mindfulness exercises. Our information on mindfulness and taking a mindful moment in nature have more tips.
• Think about what you're grateful for. It can be easy to take nature for granted. You could note your thoughts in a gratitude journal or take pictures.
• Try to minimise distractions. For example, you could listen to the sounds around you rather than putting headphones in.

Watching the birds and squirrels always has a calming effect and takes me out of my own head.

Connect with animals

• Watch out for wildlife. If you don't live near open countryside, try visiting a local park to look for squirrels, fish, insects, ducks and other birds.
• Visit a local community or city farm. You might be able to help out by volunteering. See the Social Farms & Gardens website for more information.
• Hang a bird feeder outside a window. If there's space, you could build a small wooden nesting box on a tree or under a windowsill.
• Try birdwatching. You don't need any special equipment. See the RSPB website for more information on feeding, sheltering and watching birds.
• Try pet-sitting or dog walking. Offer to be a pet sitter in your local neighbourhood. You could volunteer to walk dogs for an animal shelter, or ask to borrow a friend's dog for occasional evening or weekend walks.
• Take part in a nature survey. This might involve counting birds, animals or insects in a particular time and place, or reporting individual sightings of wildlife. You could take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, Bumblebee Conservation Trust's bee survey and the Big Butterfly Count.

Ecotherapy

Spending time in nature doesn't need to be structured or led by a professional to be good for your mental health. But you can access nature-based therapy in some areas. It's often called ecotherapy. 

Ecotherapy is a type of formal mental health treatment. It involves doing activities outside in nature with a trained professional.

Some people might use the term 'ecotherapy' to talk generally about the way nature benefits their mental health. But this is different to formal ecotherapy.

Our page on ecotherapy has more information.

Published: April 2025

Next review planned: April 2028

References and bibliography available on request.

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