By Aparna Desikan
August 16, 2022
Studies show that children nowadays spend close to seven hours every day staring at screens, which is not favourable for their health. Replacing the time spent on screens with outdoor activity is more beneficial to your child. Here are some of them.
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An important facet of outdoor play is physical exercise. Children move around a lot and tend to sweat it out while spending their energy. This helps improve their speed, strength and stamina.
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Embodied learning applies physical activity that fosters intellectual growth. Children involved in physical activity can engage with the environment and learn through their senses. This fuels their curiosity and interest to learn about the world.
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Research has shown that exposure to nature promotes all-rounded thinking. When they face a challenge in an activity like climbing a rock, it helps them overcome the problem and gives them a 360-degree understanding of how the environment works.
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Playing outside allows children to develop advanced motor skills, including agility, balance and coordination. Children playing outdoors are more likely to move in ways that strengthen their muscles, bones and physical endurance.
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Attention Restoration Theory states that spending time in nature improves concentration and reduces mental fatigue and stress. When children feel stressed, taking them outside to play refreshes their brain and improves focus.
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Playing outside offers children a remarkable opportunity to develop social skills. When they interact with their peers, they learn empathy and cooperation that develop friendships, which helps them become sociable in life.
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When children go outside to play, they observe the environment around them, like the wilting of a tree. They can be taught ways to conserve nature and learn environmental awareness.
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Outdoor activities enable children to enjoy fresh air, sunlight and the beauty of the environment. Playing in the sun also makes children happy and decreases their anxiety, depression and hyperactivity.
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