Reinvigorating Outdoor Physical Education with the SHAPE America National Standards

Today’s students have an exceptionally high need for nurturing through social and emotional learning (SEL), as well as for overall physical and mental health. The 2024 SHAPE America National Standards present an exciting pathway for physical education teacher education (PETE) and physical education (PE) professionals to connect the well-documented medical and academic benefits of outdoor, nature-based activity to meet this high level of need. Lifetime outdoor pursuits and adventure education were incorporated into the American PE standards in 1991 to serve non-competitive learners. Over 30 years later, this need persists, and new aspects have been added. This article provides terminology used to describe different aspects of outdoor education, briefly revisits historical perspectives and the reasons for including these activities in the new National Standards, provides curricular ideas for PETE and PE professionals by showcasing an example of one PETE program that was restructured to include these concepts, and demonstrates how the standards can be used to create inclusive learning environments in P-12 PE programs.