The revolutionary worldwide web era has brought every essential thing online, making everything easier. From booking airline tickets to a child’s complete education, everything can be done using a smart device and an internet connection.
Parents are often worried about the physical development of their kids as most of their time is spent on smart devices. Most pediatricians and child doctors suggest that children should give at least 40-60 minutes a day to physical outdoor activities.
But the question of the moment is, are they spending the time rightly?
We will be discussing some outdoor activities for kids and their importance in a child’s development.
5 Outdoor Activities for Kids that they can enjoy with friends and family
Outdoor activities are a lot of fun, especially for young children. They love to run, skip, jump, climb, fall, and repeat. This segment of the blog presents a list of 5 outdoor activities that your kids will love to play any time of the day. Interestingly, parents can join children too!
1. Frisbee
Frisbee is a very well-known and popular game for both kids and adults. A light-weighted and perfectly balanced disc of plastic is thrown towards the opponent. This game requires enough physical effort and helps kids to stay fit.
2. Volleyball With Balloons
Volleyball is a quite exciting sport when we see it. It would be difficult for young children to handle a real volleyball. Just replace the ball with a balloon and the rest stays the same. One can use a jump rope in case of the unavailability of a volleyball net.
3. Water Balloon Wars
Well, the name of the game tells its story itself. Water balloons are inexpensive, easily available, and safe to play with. One can invite as many friends as there is no player limit here in the game. It involves a lot of running and water. Please use water responsibly.
4. Throw & Catch
Throw and catch is the most common game among our little learners. It sounds simple but it isn’t for children. While playing this game children learn the concepts of speed, directions, and angles. Catching a ball that is coming from a height is not as simple to catch!
5. Outdoor Treasure Hunt
For playing this game parents will have to choose a perfect location out in nature. Hide some things and write the hints of small paper chits. Fold the chits and keep them in a jar so children can choose one to think about and find the hidden items.
The Theory of Outdoor Activities and Your Child’s Development
As already known, outdoor activities primarily focus on the physical health of the learners. Whereas, most of the parents are not aware of how the same activities can improve mental health, and boost cognitive development in children. In easier words, students that play outdoors regularly stay both mentally and physically healthy.
In this segment, we shall be discussing the additional merits (other than physical health) children receive from the same.
According to researches, outdoor activities are not only important for physical health but also for the mental health of the students. Backyard activities like free playing are always considered productive for children. We are sure most of the students love to play!
Physical Activities are the Best Stress-Relievers for Students
The general reason behind this is the exhaustion that we experience after a 40-minute workout session. We generally take a short rest or nap after such exhausting sessions of physical activities that turn us calm again. Although, playing outdoor is always great for school-going children as it helps them to take some time off from their rigid academic schedules.
Playing Together Outdoors Helps in Understanding Teamwork
Children love the companies from same age groups. Playing outdoors altogether helps them to understand the concept of teamwork, coordination, and support. Several situations teach them essential lessons while playing. For instance, a child would step forward to help a fellow player that is from the same team.
A Sense of Freedom and Independence in Children
Children discover new things and concepts while playing outdoors. A sense of freedom and independence comes when their guardians are not around to set rules. Responsible children set their limits when they are a little far from home and still stay lenient with themselves. In other words, it teaches them to be independent and responsible individuals at the same time.
Exploration and Appreciation of Nature
We often suggest parents to teach children about mother nature and its importance for mankind. It is believed that children while playing in greenery try to explore nature and appreciate it. Nature can be preserved only if one gets closer to it, spends time, and understands it. Therefore, it is always suggested that children should play in parks, gardens, or beaches.
How are Digital Games Replacing Outdoor Activities?
Online and digital games attract almost all children due to their impressive and high-contrast graphics, controls, and story modes. These games show children a whole new world that they might have never experienced before.
Kids also prefer mobile and computer games nowadays, as it requires no physical effort to play and have fun. Somewhere guardians feel that these games have almost replaced physical activities and outdoor games.
With this revolutionizing era, we cannot put a complete stop to our children’s engagement with digital devices and the ocean of online games. Parents may have to set a certain daily limit of time (say thirty minutes) when children will be allowed to play with the devices they love.
Similarly, a compulsory limit for outdoor playing should be set so that both their mind and body stay healthy.
Happy parenting!
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