Today’s kids spend most of their time in front of electronics (laptops, phones, televisions, and tablets). The studies show that screen is severely damaging their health.
As a parent, you know that your kids spend their time more on-screen than outdoor play. You need to tell your kids why outdoor play is important for children and encourage them to play outside.
If you want your kids to be physically healthy and compassionate individuals, motivate them to engage themselves in physical activities.
Outdoor plays help your child to burn energy naturally and prevent illnesses in the future.
You must be wondering how outdoor plays help your kid’s learning and development. Continue reading this article to understand the benefits of outdoor play.
Table of Contents
Why is outdoor play important for children’s learning?
Outdoor play enables your child to explore the natural environment and create more mess which eventually leads to having more fun. It’s not an extra option and is necessary for your child’s learning and development.
The EYFS, which is the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, emphasizes the daily outdoor adventure of the children to nurture their creativity.
Here, I am going to enlist the points on why is outdoor play important for children’s learning.
- Outdoor play improves the problem-solving skills of your children
- Children can test their physical limits by playing games
- Outdoor play builds confidence in children
- Children get rich opportunities to express themselves
- Helps to improve children’s imagination and inventiveness
- Children learn to respect and understand the environment and the nature
- Your children will learn the interdependence of living and non-livings of the environment
- They will be able to handle new situations and also risk assessment
- Children tend to have greater awareness and learn strong observational skills
- Your kid will be able to move into a more competitive environment and feel less overwhelmed. As a result, your child will be more willing to talk about different things with you.
- Your child will learn to cooperate and develop positive interactions with other children
How does outdoor play help development?
There are extensive benefits of outdoor play for your kid’s development. Outdoor play can help the physical and intellectual development of your child.
You must want to know how outdoor play helps development.
The answer is your child actively participates in physical activities which leads them to become more energetic.
Your kiddo will become physically fit and will have lower chances of get-sick. Kids who play outdoor exhibit the following characteristics:
Improved muscle strength
Your child will experience improved muscle strength due to outdoor play. Like when you push your child in a swing, they will be able to learn how to hold it and to sit on it. In this activity, their whole body will be engaged and their muscles will be toned.
You might be afraid of skateboards, bikes, and scooters but they will also help your child to develop muscle strength.
· Lower body mass index
If you allow your child to spend more time outside, they will have a lower body mass index (BMI).
In 1980, children didn’t have a screen and used to play a lot. So, only 7% of children were found to be obese but with time this number is increasing as outdoor play is replaced by screen time.
When your children will go out and play games like jumping, running, swimming, and climbing, they will burn their extra calories. They will have a lower BMI if they enjoy playing outside.
So, parents should let their children have active friends.
Improved overall health
Outdoor playing keeps your child away from obesity which creates many health complications like cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, etc.
Outdoor playing improves the mood, immune system, and skin upon exposure to the sun creates vitamin D from cholesterol.
Outdoor play lowers the risk of ADHD in your children.
· Improved motor skills
When your kid plays outdoor, they will experience improved motor skills like coordination, balance, and agility.
How does outdoor play help a child’s emotional development?
The children who play outdoor are emotionally stronger. How does outdoor play help a child’s emotional development? It’s because the children who play outdoor use all 5 senses.
But the preschoolers who spend most of their time on-screen use their 2 senses only (hearing and sight). Their other senses are not fully developed and have limited sensory experiences.
Exploring different things on their own, the children feel independent and develop confidence. Children will learn problem-solving skills and use their brains to estimate what they are capable of doing.
How can you encourage your child to play outside?
Most children are not willing to quit screen and play outside. Nevertheless, it’s vital to stay away from the screen and take part in some healthy activities.
But how can you encourage your child to play outside? Here are some tips which you can use to motivate your child to play outdoor.
- Make it fun
Children are having fun using electronics, you need to spark their imagination by telling them about more fun than this.
You can tell them about playing catch, going on a hunt, and hunting for treasure, etc.
- Take them to various places
Take your children to different places where they love to go like their friend’s house. Take them to a nearby playground, shopping mall, or any fun land.
- Bring outdoor toys
You can bring your child’s favorite toy outdoor or any other unfamiliar outdoor toy like swings, and slides, etc.
- Bring their friends
Invite the favorite person of your child to your house like his friends or any other relative. Your child will spend time with them and play.
What are some easy outdoor activities?
Are you tired of your child’s habit of using screens and don’t know how to keep them away? You should bring some outdoor toys for them and engage them in outdoor activities.
But what are some easy outdoor activities that your child will love? Here are some activities your child will love to do.
- l Make their tummy-time fun by taking them outdoor
- l Crawling under outdoor furniture
- l Throwing and chasing the ball
- l Blowing and chasing the bubbles
- l Playing games like hide-and-seek
- l Climbing trees
- l Playing tag
conclusion
Now you have full knowledge of why outdoor play is important for children.
You can use this information to assist your child’s mental, physical, emotional, and social development.