Playing Outdoors Is Important For Children

Play is an essential part of children’s lives. Today, more and more urban children spend too much time indoors and thus deprive themselves of the benefits of playing outdoors for their physical and mental health. Why is playing outdoors important for children?

Today, children spend much of their free time watching TV, playing video games or surfing the web. It is also more comfortable and easier for parents when the child is playing at home in their own room and does not need to be watched. Unfortunately, this desire for comfort has deprived children of the joy and benefits of playing outdoors.

This increases children’s dependence on video games and other electronic devices, further reducing outdoor activities.

Playing outdoors: an antidote to behavioral disorders

The separation of 21st century children from nature has led psychologists to talk about the resulting behavioral disorders. It has been linked to , for example, lack of concentration, hyperactivity, obesity and anxiety.

Correcting the problem is quite easy: children should be allowed to spend time in nature. Breathing fresh air, crawling on the lawn, running among the trees, sniffing flowers and watching birds are very important experiences for a child.

Playing outdoors relaxes and gives a moment of peace, which is a welcome variation on the fuss of electronic devices and games. It thus improves children’s ability to concentrate and pay attention, which is essential for coping at school and in life in general.

Playing outdoors is good for kids of all ages (and adults!)

Kids can be taken out to play from an early age, even babies can play outside. Even a sleeping baby benefits from a stroller in the park or elsewhere in nature.

Kids will remember those pleasant feelings for the rest of their lives. They enjoy the sun, the breeze, the scents and the sounds of nature. In nature, there is an opportunity to face new situations and lessons that can hardly be compared to the flood of information on the Internet and video games.

Parents can also benefit from being in nature. It relieves stress, gives the brain a respite and has the opportunity to share nice moments with the family. Playing outdoors with children is a way to strengthen family ties.

Why is playing outdoors important for children?

Playing outdoors is of great benefit to babies, children and young people alike. Parents, of course, need to keep an eye on their children for injuries and make sure they don’t get lost in the park, beach, or playground.

Here are some great benefits that playing outdoors offers children:

• Children feel free to play outside, even when their parents are nearby. This is very different from playing inside.
• Playing outdoors improves physical development. Kids get exercise, can run, jump and develop new skills.
• Physical activity releases energy and removes tension. The children arrive home calmly and sleep better.
• Outdoor games are also a way to prevent childhood overweight, as they burn a lot of calories in a natural and healthy way.
• It mobilizes the imagination and creativity. Kids find new games and can even come up with them out of sticks and rocks themselves.
• Being in nature strengthens the immune system, increasing children’s resistance to all kinds of bacteria and particles.

• Children learn to adapt to different weather conditions: sunshine, rain and wind.
• Sunlight is essential for the formation of vitamin D and calcium. These substances strengthen the developing bones in children.
• Children also meet other children outdoors, which promotes social interaction. This is how they make friends and learn to deal with their feelings and possible fights.
• For teenagers, camping is a great activity. In this way, they get into nature and at the same time get to take on new responsibilities.

Finally

Outdoors is also a great opportunity to spend time with family. Parents and children (and why not also grandparents, aunts and uncles) all benefit from it. You can sit in the shade of a tree, on the banks of a river or in a park.

Organize a social pastime for your family in the middle of nature and share precious moments with your loved ones.