Seven benefits of outdoor play for children From playing on iPads to watching television, children seem to be spending more and more time indoors.
Research shows that outdoor free play gives kids many valuable benefits, including the development of physical, emotional, social and cognitive skills. Cognitive Benefits While it may not be as apparent, outdoor play also provides important cognitive development for children. ... moving from frequent indoor activities to a regular use of the outdoor environment. An important part of this is ensuring that our children have the daily, active outdoor play experience that we know is fundamental. OPAL Outdoor Play and Learning is a not for profit dedicated to ensuring all elementary and primary school children have an hours high quality play opportunity every school day. This topic brings to light the benefits of outdoor play in early childhood on physical health, mental well-being, cognitive and social development. Table of contents Synthesis € 5 Young Children’s Outdoor Play-Based Learning € 7 JANE WATERS, PHD, ANGIE REKERS, PHD STUDENT, MAY 2019 € € € The Influence of Outdoor Play on Social and Cognitive Development € 14 SHIRLEY WYVER, PHD, MAY 2019 Physical skills are important for growth, physical coordination and the movement of the body.When children play outdoors they increase their ability to balance, jump, climb, throw, run and skip. Importance of Outdoor Play at Preschool Excerpted from Play, Development and Early Education by Johnson, Christie and Wardle Introduction Playgrounds are places where children’s play can take off and flourish. Open, unstructured play allows a child’s brain to recharge and reconnect. It is a complex interplay of emotions, interpretation of the senses and movement experiences, creating memories, planning, and learning about the world around them.
The importance of outdoor play for young children's ... a project focused on the exploration of the outdoor environment was developed with a group of young ... cognitive, physical, social, and. We know the benefits outdoor play and learning can bring for young children in terms of their health and wellbeing, and physical and cognitive development. Playing in an outdoor environment has huge benefits for young children’s learning and development. It highlights the benefits of outdoor play and shows how playing outside supports your child’s development. The importance of outdoor play for young children's healthy development. These types of activities promote executive functioning, required for lifelong success, and may lead to increased future academic performance, concentration, and other markers of cognitive functioning. Your child’s mind is rapidly developing every minute. The increase in numbers of children spending a predominate amount of time inside has led to numerous studies being published highlighting the negative impact this is having on their health and development. (Ernst, 2008) Through play in the varied and less structured venues of outdoor spaces, children encounter diverse opportunities for decision making that stimulate problem solving and creativity. Changes in society have meant outdoor free play with friends has all but disappeared for over 50% of children. Good outdoor play-grounds are large enough and designed in such a way that children’s play … Play shouldn’t always be seen as a silly, extracurricular, optional activity, but rather an essential tool in a child’s development. Angela wanted to share about how outdoor play can help build social-emotional and cognitive skills in children!