Planning Daily Outdoor Play

Did you know that spending only 20 minutes outdoors everyday can have a huge positive impact on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children?⁣

Daily fresh air can help children to relax their minds. It can improve attention spans and boost cognitive function. Playing outside can also help children to build stronger muscles, feel more physically energetic (without being hyperactive) and boost immune systems.

One of the best ways to include daily time outdoors is to incorporate outdoor play into a child’s everyday schedule. Whether it’s a bike ride to and from school, a lunchtime hike or walk to the store, outdoor free-play after school, or a visit to the playground after dinner,  getting children outside and playing is a great way to keep them happy, healthy, actively learning and strong.

You can help to keep children active outdoors by incorporating toys for play including: balls, jump ropes, bicycles or other items that encourage movement. You can alternately allow children the opportunity to be creative and develop their own ideas for play using objects found outdoors like rocks, twigs, leaves, shells and soil.

Children who are encouraged toward unstructured free play will often develop an extremely good sense of creativity and agile problem solving skills so feel free to just step outside and let your child’s imagination take the lead. Once children are encouraged to explore freely, they will often find ways to keep themselves happy and entertained. Every child is unique. Take the time to enjoy finding what works for you and your child, and enjoy your time outdoors to the fullest.

Melanie Charlene, Author 

Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Ages 6-8, Ages 9-12, Nature and Environment, Play, Uncategorized

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