Finnish Daycares Embrace Nature, Boost Children's Immunity

As of October 2025, a growing number of Finnish kindergartens are embracing nature and exposing children to more mud, wild plants, and microbial diversity. This shift is part of a nationwide initiative to enhance children's health and wellbeing.

Over the past two years, 43 daycare centers across Finland have been awarded a total of €1 million (£830,000) to rewild their yards and increase children's contact with the natural world. This includes digging up sections of forest floor, complete with blueberries, lingonberries, and moss, and integrating them into the daycare environments.

A recent study comparing these "rewilded" daycares to more traditional, asphalt-covered facilities has yielded promising results. The research, which tracked 75 children aged 3-5 across 10 urban daycare centers, found that those playing in the greener, more biodiverse settings had fewer disease-causing bacteria like Streptococcus on their skin and stronger immune defenses. Their gut microbiota also showed reduced levels of Clostridium bacteria, which are associated with inflammatory bowel diseases and infections.

Furthermore, the study detected an increase in T regulatory cells in the children's blood within just 28 days of exposure to the enhanced natural environments. These cells play a crucial role in protecting the body from autoimmune disorders. Other research has shown that even brief periods of play in soil-enriched sandpits can improve a child's immune system regulation.

As scientists continue to unravel the complex links between biodiversity, the human microbiome, and overall health, these findings underscore the importance of reconnecting children with the natural world from an early age. By embracing this approach, Finnish daycares are not only benefiting the children in their care, but also contributing to a broader understanding of the vital role that healthy ecosystems play in human wellbeing.