Many adults remember a childhood filled with outdoor fun from dawn to dusk. However, children of today will likely remember a youth spent watching TV and playing video games, deprived of the fun and freedom experienced on a playground. They lack the lessons learned outside. According to the website Education, outdoor play is necessary for children to develop skills of strength, planning and balance. It is while playing outside that children test the limits of their imaginations and physical abilities.
Time Frame
No season prohibits outdoor fun. Whether splashing in a pool or climbing trees, outdoor summer fun is the easiest to find. But the other seasons offer opportunities for outdoor fun as well. Fall is a season for jumping in leaves or picking apples. Winter snow shouldn't keep kids indoors. Family Education suggests filling water bottles with water and food coloring. Spray the colored water on the snow and watch your children craft winter masterpieces. Encourage your kids to build snowmen or engage in a snowball fight. Spring brings opportunities for kids to plant flowers or ride bikes.
Benefits
By running, climbing, jumping and swinging, kids burn calories, strengthen their muscles and build their cardiovascular endurance. However, many other benefits to outdoor fun exist. Researchers at Penn State University list stress relief as one of the benefits of outside fun for kids. Regularly playing outside allows kids to express their feelings and explore their emotions. The researchers also say outdoor play allows kids to explore with their senses. Sensory games help children retain more of what they learn than any other type of play.
Prevention/Solution
Playing outdoors is all fun and games unless someone gets hurt. Kids Health says more than 200,000 kids visit hospital emergency rooms for injuries incurred on playgrounds. Many of these accidents could have been prevented. Kids Health cautions parents to watch young children on playground equipment at all times. Check the equipment to make sure it is appropriate for your child's abilities and maturity level. Be sure the area is free of twisted metal or broken glass.
Misconceptions
Many parents worry that sending their children outside in cold weather will cause their kids to get sick. According to Dr. Gabe Mirkin, this is not true. Mirkin writes that people cannot become infected by germs simply because the temperature is low. He adds that germs are spread by infected people coughing, sneezing, shaking hands or touching common surfaces. The best way to avoid sickness is to wash hands frequently.
Considerations
Outdoor play is a rich way for children to grow, learn and explore, but they still need guidance. Teach your kids safe, fun games. Help them meet new friends on the playground. Encourage your children to play nicely and creatively. The website Education say play unites the body, spirit and mind and is most effective when the whole self is involved. Guide your children in selecting games that challenge them physically, mentally and socially.
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