Maternity and Child Health Clinics Can Now Offer Guidance on Nature Exposure

The Raised by Nature guide introduces the health benefits of nature and provides practical ways to increase everyday contact with nature. The first organisation to distribute the guidance is South Savo Wellbeing Services County Eloisa, but the materials are available for use by all maternity and child health clinics in Finland.

The aim is to increase awareness of nature’s health benefits and encourage families with young children to spend more time outdoors. Research shows that contact with natural environments has significant positive effects on health and wellbeing, and a child’s relationship with nature begins to develop already in early childhood. When spending time in nature becomes a regular part of family life, its positive effects are strengthened and can support the wellbeing of the entire family over the long term.

“Our goal is to help families recognise the opportunities that already exist in everyday life and to show how small choices can bring nature into daily routines. You do not need to make major excursions into the wilderness. A nearby forest or a nature-oriented park is enough,” says Sanna Kuosmanen, Project Manager at Xamk.

The guide has been developed as part of a project funded by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and implemented by Xamk. The project aims to integrate nature into the lifestyle counselling provided by maternity and child health clinics. The package on the health effects of nature, designed for expectant families and those with children aged 0–2 years, is the first of its kind in Finland.

“At maternity and child health clinics, we meet all families during pregnancy and early childhood, which gives us a unique opportunity to share this important knowledge about the health benefits of nature,” says Katja Kyllönen, Service Supervisor at Eloisa.

The guide is currently available in Finnish and English, and a Swedish version is being prepared. The electronic guide and a more extensive learning resource designed for healthcare professionals have been distributed to all wellbeing services counties in Finland. Printed copies are also available at Eloisa’s maternity and child health clinics in South Savo. The materials are freely accessible to everyone. Parents, grandparents, and anyone interested in the health benefits of nature can explore them at this web page. 

The project is one of four initiatives funded through Sitra’s programme “Integrating the Health Benefits of Nature into Daily Life in Finland”. The aim is to accelerate the use of nature’s positive health effects in daily life. Lessons learned from these projects are being disseminated through the national Health from Nature Programme, launched earlier this year and implemented by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sitra, and a broad network of partners.

The materials were produced as part of the project “Raised by the Forest – Nature as Part of Lifestyle Guidance at Maternity and Child Health Clinics”. The project is funded by Sitra and implemented by the Preventive Health Research Unit at Xamk between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026.

Main image credit: Pihla Liukkonen.

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