The importance of outdoor play
- Learning Resources Posted On Jul 15, 2020 | Learn
"Outdoor play is such an important part of childhood and one that is often overlooked," says Claire, mum of two girls, outdoor play advocate and creator and blogger at The Ladybird's Adventures.
"We love spending time outdoors as a family," she says. "I find that my kids need time outdoors every day... That’s why you’ll usually find us on an outdoor adventure, rain or shine." In this guest blog, she explores the importance of outdoor play, because, as she points out, "Childhood is short and no one remembers their best ever day of watching TV!"
Read Claire's tips on the importance of outdoor play, and if you're looking for inspiration on what to do outside, check out our blog on 5 Ways to Explore the World Without Leaving Your Back Garden.
The importance of outdoor play
Children are naturally drawn to being outside but the amount of outdoor play that children get is declining year on year. My own children are seven and four years old, they love spending time outdoors. When I’m not in a tent, at the beach or exploring the woods, you’ll find me sharing our adventures and ideas for outdoor play on my blog, The Ladybirds’ Adventures. First let me tell you some of the many benefits of outdoor play so that you understand why you should be getting your kids outside.
1. It helps increase physical fitness and reduces levels of childhood obesity
Playing outside gives children the space andfreedom to run, climb, jump and much more. All of these are fantastic grossmotor activities which are so important for kids’ development. Physicalactivity also helps reduce childhood obesity, although other factors such asdiet can also contribute.
2. It reduces stress and mental illness
Children today are often put under stress at school with frequent assessments and exams. Getting them outside allows them to run free and let off steam. Spending time outside is also stress relieving for adults too.
3. It increases their confidence
This one is an often-overlooked benefit but outdoor play can lead to increased levels of confidence. Perhaps they climb that bit higher in a tree each time you go out or they learn to walk on a fallen log without holding your hand. Either way learning new skills boosts their confidence.
4. It increases vitamin D levels
Vitamin D is so important for children and adults alike. The best source of this essential vitamin is sunlight so spending time outdoors naturally helps boost vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is important for healthy bone, teeth and muscle development.
5. It can improve problem-solving skills and increase the ability to assess risks
Children need to take some risks and outdoor play is a great place to start. Climbing trees or walking across stepping stones are great examples of how children learn to assess risks. Where should I put my foot next? How far can I safely stretch? By spending time outdoors doing these kind of physical activities children are learning to risk assess and solve problems, skills that they will need for life.
6. It increases their concentration
Similarly to problem solving and riskassessing, climbing trees involves concentration. Again, by practicing thisskill in their outdoor play they will naturally start to transfer this skill toother areas of their life like the classroom.
7. It develops their natural curiosity and connects them with nature
Children’s minds are constantly learning and growing. They’re naturally interested in learning about the world around them. Perhaps your child would enjoy hunting for bugs using a magnifying glass or maybe watching the birds using a pair of Geosafari Jr Kidnoculars Extreme is something they’d enjoy more.
I hope that I’ve managed to convince you that it’s time to start prioritising outdoor play. If I have, great! But if your still wondering where to start then head over to my own blog where I’ve recently shared a post with ideas for 100 things to do outside with kids.
Thanks for reading!
About the author:
Find fun ideas for children to learn and play outdoors. Download your free outdoor activities for kids printable pack.
Outdoor Play: 5 Ways to Explore the World Without Leaving Your Back Garden
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Free scavenger hunt ideas for kids
Scavenger hunts can make an ordinary event such as an afternoon at home, a car trip, or a walk in the park, a fun journey of discovery. They’re ideal to keep curious kids busy and learning and make children more aware of their surroundings. Best of all, they are much easier to set up than a treasure hunt and can be done with things around you. You can tailor them to your child’s age and interests and create scavenger hunts for a single child or the whole family.
Take ‘I Spy’ to the next level with these free scavenger hunt ideas for kids. In this article you’ll find easy suggestions to get your creative juices flowing and free handy checklists to get you started.
Free scavenger hunt ideas for kids
What’s the difference between a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt?
Both a treasure hunt and scavenger hunt send players on an exciting journey of discovery. In a treasure hunt, you’ll need to create and hide a series of sequential clues players follow to find the treasure. A scavenger hunt is much easier to set up because it starts with a list of things to find – no need to make and hide clues!
Teams vs solo scavenger hunts
You can set up a scavenger hunt to keep a single child busy, or as a competition with family and friends. If it’s a team effort, assign teams as evenly as possible so little ones don’t get left behind. And remember to award a prize – it’ll be a great incentive for everyone to keep their eyes peeled!
What you’ll need for your scavenger hunt for kids
- Scavenger hunt list (download our free printables or make your own)
- Pencil or pens to tick off lists
- Clipboard/s
- Bag or box to collect items
- Prize for the winning team (try these fun party bag fillers)
Try this: 50 things to find on a nature walk
Nature walks are anything but boring because there’s so much to do and see. Whether it’s finding a long piece of grass, an object shaped like a circle, or keeping your eyes peeled for spotting wildlife, this free printable has 50 objects to spot or collect, and tick off your list. Even if your child doesn’t find everything the first time around, keep it for your next nature walk. Download your free printable here and head out to the park, the woods or the beach.
Try this: Slash the rubbish outdoor scavenger hunt
Enjoy a walk through your neighbourhood while searching for rubbish to slash and trash. Participants earn one point for every piece of rubbish they find. Be sure to go prepared with gloves, a rubbish bag, and tweezers. Download your free list and take it along with you.
Try this: Arty outdoor scavenger hunt
Here’s a scavenger hunt with a fun twist that creative kids will love - go on an arty outdoor scavenger hunt. Children can either draw the items they find, collect leaves and flowers to press at home, or take rubbings of natural surfaces such as tree bark. Remember to pack a few sheets of paper and wax crayons if you plan on doing rubbings.
Try these: Home scavenger hunt ideas
Rainy day or stuck inside? No problem. Set up an indoor scavenger hunt. Choose a theme and make a list of interesting items to find. Try a colour theme and send children on an expedition to find items of a specific colour around the home – or try multiple colours. Try a maths hunt, where children need to find examples of maths and measurements such as a number written in words, a unit of measurement, a coin, an object larger than 10cm, and so on.
Happy scavenger hunting and don’t forget to share your finds with us. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.
If you liked our free scavenger hunt ideas for kids, check out our other fun ideas for the best free free ways to entertain kids.
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