What Works Wellbeing operated from 2014 to 2024. This website is a static repository of all assets captured at closure on 30 April. It will remain publicly accessible but will not be updated.  Read more
You may also wish to Read the blog article on this document.
December 2018

Family and outdoor recreation

Family and outdoor recreation
In partnership with

Intro

Existing evidence shows that doing activities outdoors can be good for our wellbeing. It can make us feel happier, and more satisfied with life, or less anxious and depressed. However, most of the evidence is about the individual wellbeing of adults, a small amount is about the wellbeing of children and very little is about adults and children together in families.

The review this briefing is based on examines whether taking part in physical activity outdoors, with family, affects our subjective wellbeing. By subjective wellbeing we mean the good and bad feelings arising from what we do and how we think.

We sifted through 135 studies

 

The review looked at studies published between 1998-2018, as well as unpublished reports produced by, or for, organisations about the wellbeing benefits of outdoor activity since 2013.

In addition, we carried out some detailed analysis of survey data to understand how spending time outdoors with different people, friends and family, affects our wellbeing.

Close Intro

What are the key findings?

Why should you care?

What can you do next?

Related Articles

Downloads

You may also wish to read the blog article on this document.

[gravityform id=1 title=true description=true ajax=true tabindex=49]

Blog

Dec 22, 2022 | By Robyn Bignall-Donnelly
2022 Impact – Our year in review
Centre Blog
Aug 25, 2022 | By What Works Centre for Wellbeing
Measuring Progress: Quality of Life in the UK 2022
Guest Blog
Jun 16, 2021 | By Professor Miles Richardson
How can ‘nature connectedness’ improve wellbeing for people and nature?
Guest Blog
Apr 29, 2020 | By Ben Channon
How home design can impact our mental health
Guest Blog