Many adults today will remember a childhood spent in the great outdoors—be it our backyards, the nearby woods, or even a playground.
However, this may no longer be the norm for the rising generations. With ever-increasing access to digital media and sedentary distractions, more and more children stay indoors rather than venturing to play outside.
In this article, we’re going to examine how the outdoors can benefit a child’s development. Studies suggest that young children may benefit from daily outdoor play since it can promote healthy physical and emotional development. Unstructured physical play can improve a child’s overall health while reducing the likelihood of detrimental conditions like obesity or anxiety.
In today’s world where devices dominate our lives, it is healthy for children to take breaks from technology throughout the day. Too much screen time can negatively impact your child’s development. Scheduling regular outdoor playtime for children is a fantastic way to get away from devices and benefit a child’s physical well-being and mental health.
Physical Benefits
Playing isn’t just for fun. It can also be a form of exercise! Running, jumping, and chasing outside all help strengthen and tone muscles and improve balance and flexibility in children.
After expending energy outside, a child may be more prepared to have a good night’s sleep in the evening. This can lead to better, more regular sleep for your child, which should be motivation enough for parents to get their kids outside every day.
Mental Benefits
Some parents may have noticed that the longer their children stay sitting and sedentary, the more irritable they become. Stimulation, exercise, and a better night of sleep can boost a child’s mood, help them control their emotions, and encourage a positive outlook on life. By scheduling a time for them to play outside, they will experience a reduction in anxiety, irritability, and overall stress levels.
Social Benefits
Playtime with other children outside promotes social interaction and influences how they interact with peers for the rest of their lives. As much as devices can connect us to one another, they can also isolate us. This is especially true in young children, as they rely on interaction with their peers to build critical social skills.
We have already mentioned that the development of a child’s social skills is paramount in the early stages of life. They get much of this from playing with other children, which more often than not happens outside.
Creativity and Problem-Solving Benefits
Playing outside is also a great way to stimulate a child’s creativity and problem-solving skills. Make-believe games with friends, hide-and-go-seek, or even tag are all fantastic types of play that help children solve problems, think outside the box, or imagine exciting adventures.
Encouraging your children to play outside is a powerful way to promote healthy physical, emotional, and mental development. It will help expend pent-up energy, making your child much more agreeable and better at going to sleep when bedtime rolls around. Several benefits may even extend beyond what we have outlined here.
The Vision Development Center Of Lancaster knows that the power of the outdoors can have a significant impact on your child. With spring upon us and summer right around the corner, now is the best time to get outside and enjoy everything that nature has to offer!