Based on methodological considerations with regard to the challenges which arise with the analysis of the potentials of nature experience, a case study is examined: the excursion of a teacher with her second grade class to an industrial wasteland. The aim is to learn about plants there. The case study shows that the teacher basically has a positive attitude towards research, has a good perception of the children’s learning processes and is very clearly aware of the educational value of emotional, social and aesthetic experiences. In addition, she succeeds in responding to the needs of the children and the external circumstances in a spontaneous and appropriate, context-dependent manner. Interestingly, however, she ‘hides’ behind ‘common’ constructs (e.g. the ‘increase in knowledge’) in her argumentation regarding the format of nature experience. The most plausible assumption and thus hypothesis is that the teacher doubts the acceptance or the significance of her conception of learning. Finally, I present the arguments for the potentials of nature experiences for personal development. In addition, I show how important it is that the schools promote real-life encounters with natural phenomena. This enables authentic personal development and counteracts forces currently at work that lead to a decline in real-life experiences in nature.