Outdoor activities are vital for children’s growth. However, current studies found that we spend 90% of our time spending indoors. Children are mostly engaging with electronic devices and less interested in outdoor activities. This is restricting them exposing to sunlight and getting fresh air. Besides, this may cause children’s physical and mental development.
Learning through play is such an important part of early education, and can help learners of all ages succeed in school and life. So, let’s find out what are the benefits of children’s outdoor activities and how to take children to bring back to nature.
Benefits of Children’s Outdoor Activity
Improve Physical Strength:
When kids go outdoor, they tend to do running, walking, playing, and exercising which helps to improve their physical strengths and develop a sweat. Through these activities, they get to improve speed, stamina, and motor skills.
Develop Creative Thinking:
Outdoor play is connecting children with nature. They are more likely to think about their surroundings and be creative with them. Many studies confirm that when kids are connected with nature, they can be more creative and innovative thinking. When they encountered challenges, such as playing with an outdoor playhouse or planting trees, they get to understand how life and nature work together and understand the importance of protecting nature.
Mental Health Development:
Outdoor activates allow kids expose to sunlight, enjoy the fresh air and see the beauty of nature. With outdoor activities, they engage with more social interactions which help develop cognitive skills, collaboration, empathy, and cultural knowledge. Moreover, playing in the sun increases vitamin D and decreases depression, anxiety, loneliness, and insomnia.
Engage Embedded Learning:
Embedded learning comes when physical activities promote intellectual development. When kids play outdoor, they interact with the outside environment, get in touch with new things and get interested in nature. This will significant from brain development and acquire abstract ideas.
Outdoor Fun Activities For Kids
Play:
Kids love fun by nature. Encourage them to play freely by using their imaginations. Playing outside is an excellent opportunity to improve physical skills. If possible, invite family members, friends, and neighbors to join.
Create:
Encourage them to create their sand craft or help them create a piece of art on the ground. They can also create some practical tasks such as plant flower trees or growing vegetables.
Care:
Teach and encourage your kids to be more caring about nature. Encourage them to plant a tree and also watering them, care for the plants as they grow. In addition, give small tasks like planting a small tree that will attract butterflies, birds, and bees. Extend their knowledge on the importance of nature and wildlife. In short, try to engage in activities that are fun and loved by the kids.
Explore:
Engage children in such activities that make them explore their surroundings. Take them on a field trip, introduce them to different kinds of animals or flowers s that they can learn about the natural substances. Help them to take smell of different flowers, listen to the bird, explore the cloud and rain. This is a great way to improve self-discovery and understanding nature from a practical standpoint.
