Outdoor Play
By Marisa Quattrone, MD, Zest Pediatric Network
Fall is here and the temperatures are cooling off, making it the perfect time to head outside! Would you believe that on average, Americans spend a whopping 90% of their time indoors (1)? However, research has shown that there are many benefits to spending time outdoors, particularly for children.
Hanging with Mother Nature can help to improve:
- Cognition and attention
- Mood and anxiety
- Self-esteem
- Social skills and empathy
- Physical health (2)
Without relying on screentime for entertainment, children can use their imaginations more and become curious about plants and animals. Expending energy outdoors is great for overall physical health, maintaining a healthy weight and restful sleep!
A study in the Journal of Environmental Pyschology in 2023 showed that creating art while surrounded by nature significantly helped children who had been through adverse experiences including violence or poverty.2 Forest Kindergartens are a common trend in Europe and becoming more popular in the USA. These children spend whole days outdoors which results in displaying more kindness, caring and engagement (2).
Why are we spending more time indoors in recent times? Electronics definitely play a role. The number of hours that children, especially teens, spend on screens daily is astonishing (it can be up to 9!) Also, children have less unstructured time and aren’t able to wander as far from home as they coulddecades ago.
Now is a great time to even just take a walk after school. Putting the phones down and modeling a love of nature sets a great example for our children. Bring another family along to share in the excitement while improving everyone’s physical and mental health!
Need some ideas? Here is a list of “75 Outdoor Activities for Kids” by Super Healthy Kids: https://www.superhealthykids.com/outdoor-activities-for-kids/
References:
1. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/improving-your-indoor-environment
2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/08/04/outdoor-nature-children-cognition-stress/
