We all love playing outdoors… but do you know the benefits?
Whether it’s playing in the sand at the beach, running during the game of tag, or climbing the tree next to your house, we all remember playing outdoors as a child. But with the world today we have gotten away from most of these activities as we have added in technology. Now our kids are playing video games, watching television, and reading books indoors.
So what are the benefits of getting our children outdoors?
Exploring the great outdoors develops social and emotional skills by exploring, playing with friends, and discovering new wildlife. You can encourage your children to build a fort, go on a scavenger hunt, observe different animals and insects.
Developing hand and eye coordination can also be of benefit. This can be done by tossing, kicking, or catching a ball. Not every child has to be enrolled in an organized sport to be able to accomplish this. Just playing catch is a way to spend time asking your child about their day as well as developing these skills.
Playing outside develops motor skills. Children use fine motor skills and develop strength and proprioception by building a sand castle, riding a bike, learning to balance on a scooter.
There are so many skills learned and developed by getting outside and playing. We need to remember the good ole days of just plain outdoor fun in our back yard or at the park and the importance of encouraging our children to continue playing.
By: Erin Holtz
