James' World 2

Dear Nostalgic for Outdoor Play,

As a psychologist, I support children playing outside as much as possible because of how positively physical exercise and fresh air contribute to a child’s overall wellbeing. It’s unfortunate that outdoor play in many neighborhoods has fallen by the wayside—but you could be the catalyst of a movement to bring it back in your community!

How to Start

To begin, think about what your children already love to do. Could they move any of their favorite indoor activities to the outdoors? Young kids would likely find that novelty appealing. You could collaborate with them to create a special bin of outdoor toys that they only use when they play outside, like bubbles, chalk, and slime (bonus: no furniture stains!). Maybe they can each pick out a new ball or other sports gear to spark their excitement to play outdoors.

Figure out a good time in your daily routine to have outdoor play, and it will undoubtedly happen more often. Your kids will become accustomed to always going outside after their afternoon snack, for example, and then before you know it, this new behavior has become a habit. 

Key Benefits of Outdoor Play

Outdoor play will help your children in many ways beyond simply having fun (as important as fun is!). 

• Playing outside can help meet the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for daily physical activity, which is 3 hours a day for ages 3-5 and at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity for ages 6 and older.1

• If the outdoor play includes some element of risk, like (safely) climbing trees, this kind of contained risk can build children’s skills and confidence, and help them learn to experience and manage fear while being safe.2

• Less screen time! Most parents are looking for ways to lure their children away from TV and iPads. Playing outdoors provides a good balance of spending time off screens.

• If outdoor play includes any element of being around nature, including grass and trees, this exposure is known to have multiple benefits for all ages.3 Benefits include improved mood, decreased stress, better physical health, and improved mental health. 

• Being outside and being physically active all contribute to one of the foundations of children’s overall health and happiness: better sleep.4