The modern way of life has led to a decrease in the physical contact of children and adults with nature and the environment. The alienation and materialism of modern society influenced the sensitizing of the need for children to return to the context of open space and reflect on intangible values, raising environmental awareness and coexistence with nature. The Scandinavian approach of using nature in everyday life encouraged Danish educators to start a system of kindergartens that include natural environments and provide the opportunity for children to be raised and educated outdoors. The holistic approach to childhood represented in the forest kindergarten is focused on the child and his needs. Looking at the research conducted in Denmark, Germany and Finland, the multiple positive effects of education in nature on the growth and development of children are proven. Experiential learning and research methods in the context of open space improve children's creativity, autonomy, socio-emotional development, learning, motor skills and health. The paper presents the curriculum elements of Scandinavian countries and their practice of forest kindergartens. A comparison of the curriculum of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland with the Croatian curriculum indicates differences in approaches to the upbringing and education of preschool children. The Croatian concept is based on the adoption of children's competencies, while the Scandinavian model is oriented towards a democratic approach to raising children through play, emphasizing the importance of the natural environment, ecology and sustainability. The intention of the work was to investigate the benefits of upbringing in accordance with nature for the growth and development of children. Through an interview with the founder of the first kindergarten that operates in the context of nature, Forest Children, information was collected about the institution and the specifics of upbringing and education in open space. The research part presents an analysis of the results collected through an online survey that examined the parents of children enrolled in the Šumska djeca kindergarten, Pula. The research is based on the determination of the benefits observed by the parents of the children attending the forest kindergarten. The satisfaction of parents with this approach to education is also analyzed. Given that the concept of education in nature is recognized as a quality form of children's upbringing, this paper aims to encourage reflection on the need to establish forest kindergartens as an alternative form of education in the Republic of Croatia.