The School of Biophilia – Reconnecting Children with Nature

Why We Said Yes to This Conversation

Biophilic design has been a thread running through our lives and work for years, but it wasn’t always the “focus.” For both of us, it began as something more personal:

• A growing awareness of how built environments affect healing and wellbeing.

• A frustration with sterile, disconnected places especially in healthcare and education.

• A desire to teach and build in ways that felt more alive.

And the podcast gave us the time and space to explore that.

A Few Things We Talked About in the Episode

Here are some of the topics we touched on just in case you want a preview.

Health, Pain, and the Power of Biophilic Environments

Amelia shared how her own experiences with chronic pain and hospital care shaped her journey. In places meant to heal, she noticed just how disconnected we’ve become from sensory environments. That led to her research on how light, colour, and choice can significantly affect pain response, especially in healthcare settings.

We also discussed a past project we worked on related to end-of-life care, and how even small, biophilic interventions can support people emotionally and physically in those final chapters of life.

How We Teach Biophilia in Schools

We believe biophilia shouldn’t be reserved for eco-elite schools or outdoor learning programmes with hefty price tags. Nature is for everyone. We’ve created resources and lesson plans that bring nature into classrooms, whether in a city flat or a rural field.

The School of Biophilia is designed to make nature-based learning accessible, creative, and curriculum-friendly. From scavenger hunts to nature-themed language lessons, we show how biophilia can fit into English, maths, science, and even German.

Why Kids Are Spending Less Time Outdoors Than Prisoners

This statistic still hits us hard every time we say it out loud — children in UK schools spend less time in nature than prisoners do.

That was one of the moments that truly moved us into action. If we’ve created a system where access to fresh air and outdoor play is seen as a “luxury,” then it’s time to rethink the system, not just tweak it.

Barefoot Learning and Sensory Checks

We also shared some of our favourite simple practices, like taking your shoes off and standing on the grass, or helping children re-regulate through a 5-senses check-in:

What can you see?
What can you hear?
What can you feel?
What can you smell?
What can you taste?

These small things might sound silly in our fast-paced world. But they’re how we come home to ourselves.

Why We’re Sharing This With You

We know that many of you parents, teachers, designers, health workers, care deeply about the world we’re building for the next generation. And sometimes, that care can feel heavy. How do we shift things when the systems feel so fixed?

Our answer is: start where you are. Start small. But start connected.

The podcast is just one expression of our growing work. But it’s an honest one. We hope it reminds you that this movement isn’t about perfection. It’s about returning to what already lives in us and giving it language, tools, and community.

Want to Connect?

We’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve had a chance to listen or if you’ve been working with biophilic ideas in your own world.

Drop us a comment, send a message, or just say hello. And if you’re a teacher or school leader interested in our biophilic lesson plans, head to:

www.theschoolofbiophilia.co.uk

Thank You

To the Journal of Biophilic Design: thank you for holding space for these conversations.

Let’s keep growing