Importance of outdoor time for Kids
Outdoor time for kids is essential for their overall health and sustained development. After all, kids jump at the very idea of going out to play. The more they interact with nature, the more they move towards becoming responsible eco-citizens.
Playing out can be in your backyard or your kid’s school playground; no need to travel far. Some places have special play facilities and even exercise facilities to stretch their and even your muscles. A walk in nature or playing in nature puts them in touch with the smells of nature, bond with the earth, and understand the smells of plants, trees and herbs. You can learn more about the importance of play based learning in our website blog.
If you would recollect your childhood days, there would have been exciting moments when you went out to play with your parents or friends. You have yearned for the opportunity to jump out of home after coming back from school or finishing your homework. The same scenario goes for your kids, even if the times have changed and there are modern gadgets.
Kids spending too much time indoors has led to the coining of a new term, ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’.
Advantages of outdoor time for kids.
Playing out favours your kids in many ways.
- Healthy body and mind: The biggest benefit of letting your kids spend time outdoors is a healthy body and mind. It aids their overall development due to proper blood circulation, release of hormones beneficial for their body, flexing their muscles and joints, etc. It decreases the risk factor of conditions such as myopia, obesity, heart-related issues and more.
- Minimal exposure to blue light: When your kids go play out, they stay away from smartphones, tabs, laptops or TV screens most of the time. Thus, it reduces their exposure to harmful blue light.
- Keeps phone addiction at bay: In our modern lifestyle, a smartphone is a very common gadget. With kids having easy access to these gadgets, they may end up getting addicted to violent games, shows, negative news and more at an age where they have little or no understanding of the same. Hence, engaging with family or friends outside will have a positive influence on their life.
- Influence on behaviour: If your kids play and spend more time in nature, they have fewer issues with anger, depression or any other negative behaviour. Rather, they have enhanced health.
- Enhanced learning ability: Outdoor time enhances your kid’s learning outcomes. They are able to think very creatively, explore deeply, are very curious and can think critically.
- Building confidence: Kids get to interact with a lot of elements in nature when they go walking in the woods, gardens, parks or around lakes. Thus, their senses become accustomed to rich experiences and build confidence to interact with a wide variety of situations.
Ensure enough outdoor time for kids.
Hence, your kids develop themselves better outside socialising or, playing with friends or interacting with nature. This may be, at times, missing in structured teams. Make sure your kid experiences the richness of life outside your home.
JGS is the leading international school in Hyderabad. We follow student-friendly policies that help their overall development. You can learn more about us or consider your kid’s future with us on our website or through our communication channels.
