9 Reasons Why Trekking Makes Children More Confident

A few weeks ago, we ran a survey with over 70 parents whose children had just returned from an 8-day trek in the Himalayas with us.

We wanted to know if parents noticed any changes (big or small) in their children after the trek.

The answers were unanimous - confidence.

“My daughter came back more confident. She realised she had been chasing what others like and dislike. When she returned, she asked us to remove Instagram from her phone on her own!”

“We felt she is now more confident. Her speaking skills have shown great improvement.”

“My son said ‘nothing is impossible if we work hard.' He was afraid of trekking and whether he would make it to the summit, but he did it!”

“His social skills and confidence have greatly improved.”

What happened in the mountains?

Parents and educators underestimate how deeply confidence is tied to a child’s environment. We assume confidence is a personality trait; that some children are “lucky” to be born with confidence.

In reality, confidence is a skill that needs nurturing. A child's confidence skyrockets when they have enough opportunities for action, autonomy, and just enough risk.

This isn’t just true for children. Plenty of adults who have never identified as “outdoorsy” come back tired and happy but changed after their first Himalayan trek. They are taken aback at their own strength and feel proud.

Can you imagine what an experience like this does to a 12-year-old who’s never been away from home, crossed a stream, or made a decision on their own? It means the world.

How Outdoor Learning Builds Children’s Confidence Better Than Classrooms

Studies show that children become more independent and confident through outdoor learning. Here’s a list of 9 research-backed reasons why:

1.      Nature encourages independent, real-world problem solving

Trekking requires quick, practical thinking. Where do I step? How do I set up this tent? Who needs help in my team? Can I do this? Being outdoors encourages children to make high-agency decisions.

The role of facilitators at the Indiahikes School of Outdoor Learning (InSOUL) is to strategically help children figure out problems on their own while trekking. Studies show that being in nature lends itself remarkably to independent problem-solving.

Children quickly evaluate what might work, or think of Plan B when it doesn’t. Children can solve problems on their own or with peers. Their actions have consequences; the problem isn’t hypothetical.

The outdoor learning process builds authentic confidence. Children know they’ve earned their stripes.

2. Trekking allows “safe risks,” encouraging self-trust and self-belief

Studies on risky play show that children who take calculated, age-appropriate risks develop better judgment and higher resilience.

What does a tough Himalayan trail or chilly morning teach children? I can push through discomfort. I can adapt. When you do it often enough, the belief sticks. A child learns that they can handle much more than they ever thought possible.

3. The outdoors encourage children’s autonomy

We tell children to “grow up”, yet never give them the chance to prove themselves. Less adult control gives children more autonomy. Unlike in the classroom, children on treks get to be in charge of themselves. 

In our experience, children rise to the occasion each time - carrying their own backpack, washing their own utensils, taking accountability for group or personal decisions on a trek. Children gain confidence through independent exploration when adults step back. They feel trusted and capable.

4. Physical movement improves mind-body awareness

When children feel strong in their bodies, it improves how they see themselves. Physical movement releases endorphins, strengthens executive functioning, and increases self-perception.

Outdoor physical activity like trekking activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for self-regulation and planning. Children finish treks stronger, more coordinated and aware of their bodies; thus, more in sync with themselves.

5. Trekking normalises “failure”

Failure is a stigma in traditional learning spaces. On a trek, “failure” is simply a natural step in learning. If you forgot your gloves, you learn to pack better next time. Feeling breathless halfway? You rest, then try again. Through iteration and resilience, a child’s confidence soars when outdoors. 

Approaches to concepts of failure in outdoor learning aligns with Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset research, which says that how we praise and provide feedback significantly impacts whether individuals adopt a growth or fixed mindset.

6. Outdoor learning gives voice and agency to different learners  

Forest School pedagogy and Vygotsky’s social learning theory both emphasise how cooperative tasks (like cooking, tent-pitching, or navigation) build confidence and collective resilience. These moments build social confidence, especially in children who feel invisible in large classrooms.

Treks are collaborative by nature, whether it’s deciding the group pace or helping a struggling friend. On our treks, we often see quieter children step up, while the boisterous lot learn to make space for others. The right facilitation on a trek gives every child a voice.

7. Nature learning allows multiple forms of expression

When you're in a classroom, "confidence” is interpreted as knowing the answers, speaking up in class, or excelling in a sport.

On a trek, confidence could look like navigating a trail, helping someone struggling, building a shelter, learning how to cook, or trying something over and over. Different kinds of learners have space to shine in the outdoors.

Children who struggle speaking up have opportunities to lead through different mediums: navigation, music, visuals, physical movement, or leading in nature.

8. Success on a trek is self-measured, not defined by others

Who reaches the summit the fastest isn’t important on an InSOUL trek. Each child’s success is personal.

We’ve met children who were terrified of trekking, but pushed through and did it anyway. That is success. Some children tend to get extremely homesick. Discovering that you can handle things on your own and do it well? That, too, is success. Success is also crossing streams with confidence or carrying your own backpack.

Experiences on a trek mean something different to each child. They complete a trek feeling both proud and grounded.

9. The neutrality of nature

Social-emotional learning (SEL) research underlines nature's neutrality. Nature doesn’t judge. It is a space without rigid parameters, tests, and examinations. 

Children are free to explore, lead, fail, and succeed on their own terms. On InSOUL treks, our facilitators honour the neutrality of nature, giving each child self-assurance through emotional safety.

Summing up

Through safe exposures to risk, outdoor learning via well-designed trekking programmes give a child real-world independence, deep self awareness,  and social-emotional growth.

Every trek at InSOUL is designed with these outcomes in mind. When your child returns home and it seems like they are standing a little taller, it’s because they’ve earned that ground through action, agency, and reflection.

All these factors work together - not in theory, but in measurable practice - to nurture happier, capable children. Trekking helps children meet the world with confidence, a lot more certain of who they are and what they can achieve.