It’s been said over and over again that children are our future. And every parent has a different technique when it comes to raising them including what food to give them, how much freedom they should have, and so on. However, the one thing every parent needs to agree on is the importance of letting their child play not just electronic games, but outside with their own devices. And research backs up the importance of this idea. The top 4 reasons for it are listed below.
- Stimulates Brain Development
- Increases Creativity
- Teaches An Active Lifestyle
- Builds Meaningful Relationships
Playing outside has been shown to help a child’s growth and development. This doesn’t mean just letting the kids take the trash out to the trash cans at the end of your driveway but letting them actually go outside and play with a few friends or swing themselves on a tire swing in the backyard. Children are naturally curious, and these experiences will give them a chance to safely go out and explore more of the world around them.
Studies have also shown that boredom is good for children and can boost their creativity by having them make their own fun. This goes against what a lot of parents currently believe, wanting to keep their children satisfied with constant entertainment. However, when games and toys are always provided for kids, they don’t have the chance to let their minds wander and create their own entertainment.
Another large reason to let kids play outside is that it teaches them to be active. Today, not even a third of children are considered to be living an active and healthy lifestyle by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. This classification is achieved by completing only 25 minutes of high physical activity three times a week. Letting your child go outside and run and swing or even slide a few times on a tube slide at the local playground will make it easier for them to lead a healthy lifestyle.
By playing outside, children can also learn to build more meaningful relationships. You know that cliche scene in movies where they show children playing in one of those commercial sandboxes? It’s that kind of interaction that teaches kids about how to interact with people their own age. They learn to be kind to others, share the tube slide, and play together with others in a way that parents can teach but takes practice to actually learn.
