It may seem safer to have your baby play indoors but there are many benefits of outdoor play that your little one shouldn’t miss out on.

Outdoor play is very different than indoor play, and the specific skills developed during outdoor play cannot be developed completely through indoor play alone. Obvious examples are improved cardiovascular and gross motor benefits. Less obvious is the role of outdoor play in children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Physical Fitness

Outdoor play gives children the opportunity to run, jump, climb, swim, dance and more, all of which provide aerobic exercise and strength training. Additionally, outdoor physical activity also strengthens the immune system and improves vitamin D levels, which can provide protection from osteoporosis and health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. Experts recommend that children get moderate to vigorous activity that adds up to at least an hour per day.

PLAY IDEAS:

• Mastering large-motor skills, like running, jumping, kicking, and throwing, is an essential part of toddler and preschooler development.
• A backyard obstacle course is a good all-rounder activity. Preschoolers can do a set of challenges: Kick a ball toward a fence, then jump on and off a step, hop one-footed along a garden path, and, finally, throw a tennis ball into a bucket.
• For the younger set, practice one simple activity at a time – like stepping in and out of a Hula-Hoop on the ground – before moving onto the next easy feat.

Mental Health

Stress, depression and anxiety are becoming more common amongst kids today – at times they may be even busier than adults with school and extracurricular activities with no time left for play. Physical activity in the form of outdoor play can help kids reduce their stress. Also, contact with nature can help reduce stress levels and positively impact conditions such as anxiety or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PLAY IDEAS:

• Introducing your little one to the wonders of nature is a wonderful way to teach her about the world around her.
• Growing a garden is easy: Just transplant already-thriving seedlings into pots filled with a bit of potting soil. Keep your veggies in these containers as they grow or plant them in the ground if you like.

Intellectual Development

Other than giving your child a respite for his mind, outdoor play can provide intellectual stimulation and promote creativity as well. Outdoor play has been shown to help children focus better in a classroom setting and to enhance readiness for learning, easing the transition to school. Outdoor play also encourages learning and problem-solving skills, which can help children perform better in the classroom.

PLAY IDEAS:

• Develop your toddler’s curiosity by allowing her to explore many different places such as the park, garden, beach and woods. This exploration is very important for their development. They will begin to understand different concepts such as heat and light, and with this knowledge comes an awareness of the environment.
• Take your little one out and show her the many things along the way. Introduce her to the variety of plants, colours, the weather and even people you meet as you take a walk around the neighbourhood.

Social Development

When children play with other children outdoors, it encourages their social development. There are many types of outdoor play which gives children opportunities to learn how to work in groups, including learning how to share, how to negotiate and how to resolve conflicts. Children who are allowed to explore through play can learn new skills and overcome challenges, which can promote self-confidence, resiliency and self-sufficiency.

PLAY IDEAS:

• Team games are beneficial as they encourage co-operation with their peers.
• Games like ‘Grandma’s Steps’, ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ and ‘Hide and Seek’ are enormously popular.
• However, supervision is essential as their social and emotional development is quite volatile and arguments can flare up very quickly.