National Play Outside Day 2021

Almost everyone knows that children should be outside to play as often as possible. Because more and more children are growing up in the city and playing outside less and less. A recent study from Australia shows how healthy playing outside for children is. This is especially true in the coming warm season in spring and of course also in summer.

Gaining experience playing in nature

Because there are more and more urban children, very few children know what it is like to climb a tree or play with sticks. Only around 30 percent of children between the ages of five and twelve regularly play outdoors and have climbed a tree before. The most important reason is: Many parents are afraid for their children and, as so-called helicopter parents, hardly let the children out of their sight. Also, digital games and television are taking over the hand in children's rooms. But the helicopter parents in particular usually had the experience themselves and played a lot outside. The Australian researchers also explain that many children today spend a lot of time in closed rooms. The children's range of motion, the distance to home, has decreased by 90 percent in the last 30 years.

Important for children's development

​It is particularly important for children and adolescents that they discover their environment for themselves and spend a lot of time outside, as this affects important skills such as curiosity, courage and motor skills. Pediatricians therefore give the following important reasons why parents should let them play outside as often as possible.
 
The children can thus improve their motor skills. Playing outside promotes mobility and balance, but also strengthen parts of the body such as hands, arms and stomach. When children play outside, their assertiveness improves and they become more robust. This way, children get better at school, e.g. in physical education. In addition, the immune system is strengthened, which protects against various diseases and allergies. Playing outside together also promotes the social behavior of children, so they learn how to interact and behave socially with their peers, e.g. mutual consideration.

​More performance and better concentration

​Concentration and performance are also enormously improved. It has been scientifically proven that children who play outside experience better focus and concentration  in school and get better grades. In addition, the fresh air stimulates the children's imagination. In the garden or in the field, children can let their imagination run wild and turn the site into a secret treasure island or a mysterious palace. Last but not least, the children learn to appreciate television and computers anew. When children play a lot in a cornfield or romp in the garden, they appreciate the digital alternatives all the more because it is something special. And another invaluable advantage is that children are exhausted and really tired in the evenings. Because of the fresh air, the activities and movement, the children breathe more fresh air and thus more oxygen, which promotes the burning of energy. In this way the children sleep better and earlier.