By Teacher Chantal
Playing outdoors is a vital part of early childhood development. Children learn by investigating their surroundings and creating meaning from their encounters. When children are allowed to take charge of their own play, learning flourishes.
Outdoor play provides children with opportunities to stay active, healthy and happy through play. Children require a variety of unstructured play opportunities to develop life skills and maintain good physical and mental health. Playgrounds are the perfect place to engage in unstructured play and are crucial for children’s development because children develop skills through play and exploration. Outdoor play is essential for promoting growth since the first five years of life are particularly crucial for brain development and laying the groundwork for subsequent learning and behavior.
The following are benefits of outdoor play in early years:
- Provides physical benefits: Outdoor activities allow students to build motor skills, develop stronger bones, improves sleep as the exposure to sunlight regulates the body’s internal clock and outdoor play also builds immunity as sunlight provides vitamin D to the body and assists in the proper functioning of the immune system.
- Builds social skills: Children learn how to share, interact with friends and how to treat others kindly. Playing outdoors also teaches children the value of diversity. They can learn from other children and how they play and interact with the world. Other social benefits include the development of empathy in young children and improved communication skills.
- Boosts imagination and creativity: Children can play games and pretend to be anything they want when they are outside and engaged in free play. Children can set their imagination free when they play outside and have fun without the need for numerous toys or gadgets.
- Appreciation of the natural environment: Outdoor play helps children create positive memories and deeper connections to the environment at a young age. An appreciation for natural areas and the environment in general is often fostered by these enjoyable childhood activities.
- Enhances self-awareness: Playing outside helps children develop their directional and spatial awareness as well as their ability to interact with their surroundings. This encourages them to be more perceptive and mindful of their movements and can help them adapt to new environments.
Children should be encouraged to spend time playing outside and taking in the beauty of nature. The following are examples of how outdoor play can be encouraged:
- Play with children. Show the children that you are interested in learning new things and encourage them to explore.
- Encourage children to choose their own activities and make decisions about what they want to accomplish and how they will do it.
- Participate in play with empathy, taking into account the opinions of the children.
- Encourage kids to explore new things and make their own risk assessments.
- Always show respect for children’s efforts and ideas so they feel comfortable making mistakes and taking chances with new ideas.
- Have fun and promote laughter. Joy enhances learning.
Overall outdoor play is crucial in early childhood development. It lays the foundation for healthy habits and social skills and should be encouraged by parents and teachers.
