Hello!

4 Comments

The use of technology and the end of summer are just two reasons children are now being robbed of valuable time outside.

But this could be to the detriment of the next generation with more and more research showing children’s health and wellbeing, and development could be at risk. Not only is the lack of space an issue, with growing bodies needing room to move and explore, the lack of natural light could also be putting children at risk of myopia or nearsightedness.

Research by Queensland University of Technology found less than 60 mins per day of outdoor light could lead to children having problems seeing things in the distance.

Community Kids Childcare & Early Learning Centres educator and spokesperson Freya Lucas says there’s a multitude of other reasons children need time outside each day and enough space to play:

Outdoor play fuels imagination. When children play outside, the “equipment” is limited, and the imagination is limitless. Children are more likely to invent games when they play outside, and as they do, they learn important skills such as decision making, negotiation, organisation and autonomy.

“Outside” is nature’s art gallery. Children develop aesthetic awareness and an appreciation for the beautiful planet the natural world provides by being immersed in it. As sensorial learners, children are hard wired to notice the small details of sights, sounds and textures. Being outside wakes up these senses and cues children to look for the beauty in everything around them.

Outdoor play gives busy bodies the most space to move. With more than 30,000 children severely obese in Australia, according to research conducted by Associate Professor Sarah Garnett from Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital, giving children time, space and resources to move is critical to the health and wellbeing of our future generations.

• Risky outdoor play teaches resilience. Ever heard the phrase ‘better a skinned knee than a broken spirit’? Children who experience risk and challenge in outdoor play also have an opportunity to experiment – with physics, with their capabilities, with their capacity – and to develop resilience.

Exposure to nature reduces stress. It’s also been scientifically proven to significantly reduce ADHD symptoms, such as inattention and impulsivity, according to a University of Illinois study, published in 2004. Being outdoors in nature prevents attention fatigue, and children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces.

Sadly not all homes can be so accommodating but there are ways

“There’s always ways, though, you can engage and encourage your child to explore outside or the ‘big blue room’ as I like to call it,” Freya says.

• Try “water painting,” in which children paint the side of a building or a tree with a brush and a bucket of water. It exercises arms and upper torso while also teaching about wet and dry, light and dark, and evaporation.

• Lie on your back with your feet in the grass and look for shapes in the clouds. Talk about the way the grass feels under the soles of your feet. Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. Watch as the light changes as it moves through the leaves on the trees. Listen to the sounds of insects, and let the breeze dance on your face

• Find some dandelions and blow them, watching the tiny feathers dance in the wind.

How do you like to encourage outdoor play in limited space? We would love to hear your tips.

Share your comments below.

Image: Shutterstock

We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.
  • get creative and think outside the box. finger painting is a great idea also

    Reply

  • I always encouraged outdoor play and my kids loved it. They preferred outside to inside, thank god

    Reply

  • You wish!! In some areas of Aust. it is so hot it’s dangerous to play outside part of the year. Even in the shade you need to drink water almost non-stop.

    Reply

  • We’re so lucky in Australia to live somewhere where it’s lovely outside all year round. And kids being outside is so good for them. Both the activity, health and also for learning and general wellbeing. When my babies were little I’d take them to the park at least a few times a week so they could feel grass on their feet. They loved it! Feeling grass, even dirt! And as kids grow being outside and playing is so good for their imagination.

    Reply

Post a comment
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your comment and join MoM:

You May Like

Loading…

Looks like this may be blocked by your browser or content filtering.

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join