Take your child to the forest – Finnish maternity and child health clinics tell you why

“Let your baby sit and crawl on moss and grass, not just on a blanket. Choose the forest over the playground every now and then.” These are some of the practical tips that the guide offers to families. The material was developed together with South Savo Wellbeing Services County (Eloisa)’s public health nurses. Eloisa is the first organization to distribute the guidance, and the package is also available for use by all maternity and child health clinics across Finland.

Research shows that contact with nature has significant positive effects on health and wellbeing, and a child’s relationship with nature begins to develop in early childhood. When spending time in nature becomes a regular part of family life, its positive effects grow stronger and can support the wellbeing of the entire family in the long term.

– Our goal is to help families recognize the opportunities that already exist in everyday life, but often go unnoticed, and to show how small choices can bring nature into daily routines. There is no need for major excursions. A nearby forest or a nature-rich park is enough, says Eevamari Kurki, RDI Specialist at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences Xamk.

The guide is available in English, Finnish and Swedish to anyone interested at www.xamk.fi/raisedbynature.

Carry your baby close to trees and let them reach out and touch the branches.

One of the tips featured in the Raised by Nature guidebook.

About the Project

The project, funded by Sitra and implemented by Xamk, aims to integrate nature into lifestyle counselling provided through maternity and child health clinics. Lessons learned from the project are being disseminated through the national Health from Nature programme, which was launched earlier this year. The programme is coordinated by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sitra, and an extensive network of partners.

The guidebook has been produced as part of the Raised by the Forest – Nature as Part of Lifestyle Counselling at Maternity and Child Health Clinics project. The project was implemented by the Preventive Health Research Unit of South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2026

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