Did you know that around 46% of children are regularly in touch with mobile devices in Australia alone? Such continual use of mobile devices is immensely negative on the body and mental, physical and emotional health in countless ways.
Outdoor play is crucial for children as it determines how their personalities would develop. Not to mention how kids acquire social skills when constantly in touch with their friends and not on screens.
Go to a nearby playground and have them play around, or have a badminton match in your backyard. Also, if you have space, have some sturdy kids’ outdoor play equipment and personalise your little one a play space.
Doing this can be especially difficult if you are a working adult because making playtime for children after a long hard job can be tedious. However, no matter how difficult, you should at least take out 30 minutes for your child’s healthy development.
Benefits of Outdoor Play
Countless benefits tag along when your children start exploring the world beyond screens. Read on and find out how playing outdoors is the best for your child in the long run.
Developing Athletic Abilities
Playing outdoors definitely doesn’t guarantee if your kid will become a sports sensation or be physically coordinated; however, it does ensure that they master the basic athletic abilities and maintain good stamina.
These basic activities involve running, jumping, or even climbing around swings and trees. Besides, kids who play outdoors are much faster than their peers.
Green Spaces Foster Psychological Benefits
Nature is a healer. Not that your child needs healing. It just means when you take them out to play in a playground, all the greenery around leaves a positive impact.
Don’t you see a sudden improvement in your mood when you walk in the woods or casually jog in a park? Well, the impact is more or less the same on children. Kids who play in natural settings are better focused, more active, and have better immunity.
Suppose you’re wondering why to get this. Green is a soothing colour which makes it a stress reliever.
Improved Confidence
Meeting new people and making friends is something that can immensely enhance your little one’s confidence. Furthermore, playing outdoors can help you calculate risks more efficiently.
For instance, climbing swings helps them grab and climb easily. You don’t teach them how to climb a ladder, do you? Well, these are the things kids learn while playing. you need to fix a time for some outdoor play.
Sure, they fall and get hurt at times, but that is better than not playing at all because they learn gradually.
Cut-Down on Screen-Time
Screens are not your child’s best friend, period. The more screen time they have, the worse for their physical and mental well-being. If your kid spends too much time just playing violent video games, you need to fix a time for some outdoor play.
Outdoor play makes the body more active and healthy. In contrast, playing video games makes you feel lethargic. Besides, regularly going outside would help them make friends and don’t you think having a real friend is better than spending time dressing up the game player?
So, replacing the screens with active outdoor playtime would tremendously improve your child’s overall lifestyle!
Final Thoughts
That’s it about outdoor play and its benefits. The benefits are more than what’s listed here, and you will witness incredible results from day one itself. Motivate them to play outside. If you have enough space, create a small functional space.
For equipment, look for kids’ outdoor play equipment online and get going! The personality development that follows would be worth it all.
