By Lisa Poirier
How often do you see children playing outside on a nice day? Chances are they don’t, and if they do, it is nothing near the amount of time that kids of yesteryear played outdoors. Many childhood development professionals chalk up the lack of outdoor time to, of course, electronics like TV, computers, and video games, as well as, more extracurricular activities, an increase in homework, and social events. In fact, studies have found that kid’s free time has decreased by nine hours over the past 25 years and that 6.5 hours of their day is spent on some form of media.
The lack of outside play has proven to hinder the health of children in several ways. With childhood obesity rates tripling in the past 30 years, it is clear that the time of the aimless bike ride has come to an end. When children spend time outside, they are engaged in activities that get them moving, especially compared to sitting on the couch playing a video game. Childhood obesity is often a telltale sign of adult obesity and can lead to early-onset type II diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer. Getting kids outside simply to move can play a big part in prevention and weight-control.
Physical health isn’t the only concern of not playing outdoors, social, intellectual, and emotional well-being. Playing outside makes kids smarter, more well-behaved, and calmer. It also leads to more self-confidence, instills creativity, and teaches children problem-solving. All of these are important skills in growing up and a lack of these can lead to stunted development.
This is what happens to kids, but why aren’t they outside? Several theories float around, ranging from people thinking it’s not safe to be outside to kids just not wanting to leave the house.
Many parents believe that the outdoors is simply not safe. The media can take a lot of blame for this one because of the over-presence of crime television news and shows involving child-abductions and accidents. To solve these problems, establishing ground rules with children about where they can play along with making sure they aren’t alone and have a buddy, will calm some fears and let children feel safe knowing their parents know what is going on too.
Another theory is that people are too busy, but it is important not to lose sight over prioritizing playtime. One solution is to schedule the time for it. Make a time each day where you go outside with your kids and look at the stars, or collect bugs, anything. Plus, kids who see their parents spending time outdoors are more likely to go out and enjoy it themselves.
Some kids just don’t want to go outside, which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make them. They may argue that there is more stuff to do indoors and that outdoors is boring. Involve the kids in planning a space outside for them to play, whether that means a tree house for them to play in, planting a garden that they can weed, or building a bird house for them to sit outside and watch. The outdoors is stimulating, but in a world where kids are constantly stimulated, it may take some effort to create a space where the kids are stimulated enough to be outdoors.
Here’s a list of simple ideas to get your kids (and you!) outdoors:
Plant a garden and have the kids weed it and collect the food
Look under rocks for different bug
Chase and collect fireflies at night
Go to a local orchard and pick fruit
Challenge your kids to see how many laps they can run around your house or yard in five minutes
Walk or ride bikes to school
Build a bird house and have them identify the birds they see at it
Take a nature walk around your neighborhood and talk about the trees and animals they see
Practice a sport with a friend
Play hide-and-go seek, red rover, and tag with their friends
Draw with chalk on the sidewalk or driveway
Have them ride their bike around the block
Let them walk down to the corner store with a list
Allow them to campout in the backyard
Keep a moon journal by drawing what the moon looks like every month
Identify constellations
Take them to the local nature center for a camp or free guided nature walk
Organize “outdoor time” with your neighbor’s kids
Let them go down to the creek to play
Let them take the dog for a walk
Build a sandbox and let their imagination go to town