When I was a kid, we would spend hours and hours outside playing. Riding bikes and skateboards, playing catch and basketball, and even building forts were regular activities throughout my childhood. In the modern world, I take my young children out to play and see no kids in the street, no neighbors in their yards, and hear no laughter or loud children. Playing outside has become something of the past. It’s unfortunate, too, as there are so many benefits to taking kids outdoors! Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits of playing outside.
What are the Benefits of Playing Outside?
The following 11 benefits of playing outside can be encouraging to parents that haven’t thought to get their children outdoors. Increased outside playtime may have a surprisingly positive impact on your child – give it a try! If you’ve previously gone unconvinced, these reasons may help to sway you.
The Sun Offers More than Sunburns
Sure, putting on sunblock each time your child goes outside to play can be annoying. Not only do you have to make sure it is properly rubbed in but you have to reapply after so much time has passed. Of course, skipping the sunblock could be detrimental to your child’s health, so we don’t want to do that! However, missing out on catching some rays could also be bad for your child’s health.
Sunlight boosts serotonin, a natural chemical that improves your mood. The sun also helps you to regulate sleep, fights off bacteria, and strengthens your bones! Getting plenty of natural sunlight can be critical to improving the lives of your children.
Movement Benefits Physical Health
Outside play frequently involves running, biking, skating, or other forms of physical activity. With childhood obesity at an all-time high, encouraging more outside play can vastly improve children’s health. Get outside with your kids and you might be surprised to see how much your own health improves!
Avoid Screens!
For many families, screen time is what prevents the desire to go outside. Screens are easy! Kids find enjoyment in them and parents get a break. I am no stranger to using screen time when I really need some peace!
However, I’ve discovered how much my kids act differently in the winters when I am more lax on screen time. Minnesota winters are long, which adds up to a lot of screen use if I’m not careful. Get outside as often as possible to see a change in attitudes and behaviors. This might be one of the most prominent benefits of playing outside.
Familiarity with the Body’s Abilities
Discovering what the body can do is easier when you regularly use your body! Kids are still learning so many things, including various forms of hand-eye coordination. They may be amazed to discover that they can catch a ball after practicing their coordination skills. Allow them the opportunity to do so!
Imagination Thrives Outdoors!
What do you get with a few kids and no specific instructions? Imagination! Watch your kids’ minds come alive as their swingset becomes a ship or grass becomes tall weeds on a battlefield. Sparking creativity and imaginative play in your kids is so vital to development.
Benefits of Playing Outside: Learn New Things
Why are all those ants walking in a line? What kind of bird is making that sound? Where does that bunny rabbit live? These are all questions that your kids might ask based on what they see outside. The questions they ask about their surroundings are learning opportunities – use them!
Self-Awareness is Improved
You might roll your eyes and ask, “How can a four-year-old be self-aware?” I’m here to tell you that self-awareness is learned and can absolutely become part of any child’s skillset. When a toddler is capable of telling you what they’re feeling or when a preschooler is aware of what they are good at (running) and what they need to work on (riding a bike), they are self-aware.
Playing outside is known to improve self-awareness in children because it allows them the space to self-regulate and figure out what they can do in a more wide-open environment than they may have been previously familiar with.
Exposure to Others as a Benefit of Playing Outside
The neighbors down the street go walking each evening, allowing your child the opportunity to smile and wave. Kids a few houses down ride their bikes to and from school and your child always says hi. Your next-door neighbor has kids the same age that love to play ball with your little one. Getting outside allows for opportunities for your child to meet other people – children and adults, alike. Of course, it is important that you are with your child and teach them about the potential danger of strangers, but exposure to others is great for their communication skills.
Experience the Beauty of the World
Outside offers so many more colors and pictures than a child can see in your home. While you may have a perfectly nice and beautifully decorated interior, the green grass against the blue sky with some colorful fall trees cannot be truly captured by the photograph in your living room. Children who play outside regularly are given a look at the world around them in a way that they cannot get from indoors. Give them the chance to experience natural beauty!
Develop a Love of Nature
Experiencing the beauty of the world can inspire a love of the outdoors and nature in children. Playing outside frequently may encourage a love of hiking, swimming, running, camping, or any number of outdoor activities. Allow the love of nature to develop and grow to help your children foster a long, healthy lifestyle in which being outside is the norm. Of all the benefits of playing outside, this one may be the most long-term.
Builds Independence and Responsibility
How much independence can truly be built in the safety of your living room? Even when you go out with your children to supervise, they suddenly have so much more space to explore! While it is necessary to keep them safe, outdoors also grants them the ability to become just a bit more independent and responsible for themselves.
How to Get Kids to Play Outside
For younger children, going outside is typically easy: suggest it. However, as your children grow and love the things that they have inside, it can be harder to get them out in the sun. Try these tips to get them breathing fresh air!
Make it a Routine
Routine is crucial! Kids of all ages love routine. When it is expected that they play outside after school until dinner time, it becomes less of a hassle. An odd suggestion that goes against their routine can be far more difficult. Yes, this means that introducing a new routine can be hard, but after the routine is set, it will be far easier.
Get Involved and See the Benefits of Playing Outside
If you want your kids outside, get out there yourself! Most kids would love having a parent willing to play basketball with them or join in on a nerf battle. Have fun with your kids outdoors and they will be far more willing to play outside!
Invite Others to Join
So, playing with mom or dad is no longer cool. It just happens that way sometimes. What happens when cousins or friends come over to play catch or go for a swim? It’s suddenly exciting again to be outdoors.
To Garner the Benefits of Playing Outside, Offer Variety
Without a variety of options, playing outside can get boring. If your child has a bike, try a scooter. If they have a basketball, try a football. A variety of activities can encourage your kids to play something new.
Motivation and Activity Depends on Age
Always remember to treat your child based on their age or maturity level. Sitting outside to monitor your 13-year-old as they play catch with a friend might embarrass them and discourage their outside time. On the other hand, leaving your three-year-old to their own devices is a safety hazard. Use your best parental judgment to avoid helicopter parenting and still keep your kids safe as they have fun outside.
The 500 Hour Challenge: Earning the Ultimate Benefits of Playing Outside
This spring and summer, I’m attempting to get my kids outside for a total of 500 hours. I heard about the 1000 hour challenge over the course of a year and liked the sound of it, but don’t feel it is always possible when Minnesota has 6 months of winter. With the 500 hour challenge, kids can experience the great outdoors over the course of the warm months and see the changes it has in their lives. You will see the benefits of playing outside in action.