Today’s generation of children are spending more and more time indoors. With the increase in the use of technology, access to smartphones, tablets, the significance of outdoor play is often ignored. Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready believes that spending time outdoors, engaging in physical activities is important for the physical and emotional well being of your child.
In this blog, Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready pens down all the ways playing outdoors benefits your child’s growth.
1. It Improves Physical Health
Outdoor play like running, jumping, hiking, cycling greatly improves your child’s physical health. It strengthens their muscles and bones while refining coordination. Outdoor play has been linked with a reduced chance of obesity and cardiovascular problems.
When compared with indoor activities like video games or watching television shows, outdoor play supports full-body movement. This is critical for the growth as well as development of motor skills of a child.
2. It Boosts Mental and Emotional Health
Disconnecting from screens and technology relaxes the minds of your children, allowing them to thrive in a stress-free and slow-paced environment. Outdoor play boosts the emotional health of children, resulting in fewer tantrums. Outdoor play inspires creativity and the use of imagination, often with young children making up their own games.
3. It Refines Social Skills
Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready says that by playing in teams and interacting with age fellows, your children will be more likely to practice empathy, hone their social skills, communicate better and cooperate with peers. Children become more confident. For such developments, outdoor play is essential.
4. It Supports Cognitive Development
Stimulating a child’s brain is only possible in outdoor plays. By connecting with nature, your child will learn to use all five senses of sight, touch, smell, hear and move. Outdoor play accelerates cognitive development, enhancing skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, etc. Prolonged and effective attention spans can only be a result of outdoor play.
5. It Encourages Independence
Allowing unstructured outdoor play will help your child develop self-confidence and be willing to take healthy risks. Seemingly unimportant acts like climbing a tree or jumping over puddles teach your child to reflect, assess the situation and make a decision. Such a quality will help your child in years to come.
6. It Improves Immune Systems
Children’s immune systems are still developing. Through exposure to sunlight, which helps the body make Vitamin D or through breathing fresh air, a child’s immune system is directly linked with frequency of outdoor play. Physical activities like running boosts blood circulation.
What Can You Do As Parents?
Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready has penned down some tips for parents, if they wish to propagate the outdoor playtime of their children.
- Restricted Use of Smartphone/ Screen time – Make a schedule of television and mobile phones to limit their use.
- Opt for Family Outdoor Activities – Along with making beautiful memories, your child will model after you and learn the importance of outdoor activities.
- Visit Playgrounds Regularly – From a very young age, instill in your child the habit of spending quality time outdoors.
- Allow Unstructured Play – let your child roam freely in the ground to boost creativity and imagination.
Key Takeaways
In this blog, Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready guides parents about the importance of spontaneous outdoor play; how crucial it is for a child’s brain development. Skills like creativity, confidence, decision-making, teamwork can only be attained by outdoor play.
Once a week, plan a short trip to a park or ground and encourage your child to embrace nature!
