Still Moments: Why Quiet Time Outside Matters (and How It Helps Us Grow)

By Shannon Cesare, Program Coordinator

There’s something simple and powerful about stopping, taking a breath, and being still in nature. Whether it’s a two-minute pause on a trail, a silent walk, or a few minutes listening to the wind through the trees, still moments give our bodies and brains a chance to reset — and the science backs it up.

Recently, after a silent hike, one of our Brevard Elementary students shared, “Not being on my phone and actually going outside felt really nice.” Her classmate added, “Whenever I’m not on my laptop or phone and connect with nature, it feels like therapy and everything just goes away. I liked the silent hike because I could hear all the sounds of nature.”

Those moments of quiet awareness might seem simple, but they carry real benefits — for both kids and adults.

What Research Tells Us

Science continues to show what many of us feel instinctively: time spent quietly in nature is good for us. Studies on attention restoration (Kaplan, 1995) show that even short breaks outdoors help us refocus and reduce mental fatigue. Other research, like Ulrich’s Stress Recovery Theory, finds that natural settings lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, and improve mood.

Forest bathing studies in Japan have found similar results — people experience improved immune function and emotional well-being after spending unhurried time in green spaces. Mindful walking and silent observation, in particular, are shown to support self-regulation and deeper engagement with learning.

Stillness Builds Connection

We see it firsthand. When students have time to slow down, their curiosity deepens. A 5th-grade student from Bruce Drysdale Elementary, reflected after a field experience, “I noticed I felt like a completely different person because before I liked learning about nature, but now I like interacting with it.”

That shift, from learning about nature to connecting with it, is the heart of what we hope to nurture. Still moments invite observation, patience, and reflection. They remind us that learning doesn’t always come from doing more — sometimes it comes from simply noticing and interacting with what’s already around us.

Why this matters for classrooms and youth programs

Still moments are low-cost, low-prep tools with substantial benefits. For students they can: improve classroom focus after recess or lesson transitions; reduce anxiety before assessments; strengthen observational science skills (listening, noticing, describing); and encourage curiosity that turns into active stewardship. The student quotes above reflect exactly this — our program participants report calmer minds, stronger sensory awareness, and a shift from passive learning to active engagement.

Easy ways to add still moments (for teachers and families)

• Start class or the transition to being home after school with 2 minutes of silent listening outdoors — set a simple prompt: ”What did you hear that surprised you? What changed while you stood still?”

• Try a 5–10 minute silent hike: no talking, only gentle observation. (Come together afterward to share one surprising sound or sight.)
  
• Make a short sensory scavenger list: find something rough, something fragrant, something small. Then sit quietly and compare notes.
  
• Use breathing together under a tree: 3 slow breaths in, 3 slow breaths out, then notice something new.
  

A Final Thought

Still moments might seem small, but they create space for big things: calm minds, open hearts, and a deeper sense of connection to the world.

As that Brevard Elementary student put it best, “It feels like therapy and everything just goes away.”

Maybe that’s exactly what nature intended — for us to pause long enough to remember that we’re part of something bigger, and that quiet has a way of teaching too. That simple pause helps students and adults alike remember what it’s like to notice the world — and sometimes that noticing turns into a whole new way of interacting with nature. 

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, nature reminds us that rest is a rhythm. This fall, as we step into the rush of the holidays, we invite you to embrace the pause. Take a quiet walk beneath golden trees, breathe deeply in the cool air, and notice the stillness that lingers between each falling leaf.

This season, we encourage you to slow down, to listen, and to make space—for reflection, for intention, and for the simple joy of being present in the natural world.

References & Further Reading

Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182.

Ulrich, R. S. (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In I. Altman & J. F. Wohlwill (Eds.), Behavior and the Natural Environment (pp. 85–125). Springer.

Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9–17.

Jimenez, M. P., DeVille, N. V., Elliott, E. G., Schiff, J. E., Wilt, G. E., Hart, J. E., & James, P. (2021). Associations between nature exposure and health: A review of the evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4790.

Djernis, D., Lerstrup, I., Poulsen, D., Stigsdotter, U., Dahlgaard, J., & O’Toole, M. S. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of nature-based mindfulness: Effects of moving mindfulness training into an outdoor natural setting. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3202.