6 unexpected benefits of children playing outdoors

The famous educator of Montessori pedagogy once said that nature is an extremely important part of education. She encouraged children to play and be active outdoors more.

1. Improve attention and concentration

In the US, scientists say that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can concentrate better after just 20 minutes of walking in the park, instead of walking on the street. The openness of the park, combined with the green of the trees, will improve the ability to concentrate. When children concentrate well, they can also concentrate on finding a suitable solution to their work.

2. Supplement energy and health

"Usually, when feeling sluggish, adults resort to a cup of coffee. But for children, there is an effective solution to increase energy, connecting with nature, air and greenery to help children increase metabolism and breathing ability.

"With adequate oxygen supply, the body will be more "awake" and stimulate the production of fresh energy," said Richard M. Ryan, professor, doctor, and head of the research team at the University of Rochester.

And exercising and playing outdoors for at least one hour a day helps children aged one to seven have strong bones thanks to the absorption of adequate amounts of Vitamin D3, D3 helps metabolize calcium in food. Harvard University announced that the rate of overweight in children who spend a lot of time outdoors is 27-41% lower than that of children who often stay indoors.

3. Physical enhancement

When asked why children like to run, jump, swing, slide, or climb ropes, the majority of answers are “because it’s fun.” These games help children learn reflexes and control the movement of their legs, arms, and entire body, improving their mobility, flexibility, and balance.

When encouraged and facilitated, children will be more excited to play and healthier thanks to regular exercise. These physical activities help children improve bone density and develop better muscle systems.

4. Emotional development

In addition to physical benefits, the internal-mental factor is said by a child psychologist to be confidence, experience and emotional release, which are aspects that children gain while playing.

Confidence is shown through the way children play swings and rope climbing games, these games present challenges for children to overcome. Exploring and conquering games helps children become more confident.

Playing and expressing thoughts and actions not only help children have experiences they have not had before, but also help release the accumulated pressure and discomfort in their hearts, which can help heal wounds and create a sense of freedom for children.

5. Improve social skills

It can be seen that playing in public playgrounds, children have the opportunity to meet and play with friends outside of school, from which they can interact, make new friends, and play many games that they cannot play at home by themselves.

When playing alone, children can still build independence and creativity. This gives them time to find their own ideas and opinions, and they can also observe the groups of friends around them, receive and analyze information through observing interactions between other groups of children, thereby drawing their own experiences.

6. Raise awareness

MagazineKidshealthAccording to child psychology development experts, outdoor play plays an important role in the development of children's brains. Play develops the nerves, thereby helping children become more confident, improving their intelligence, and their ability to think and express themselves clearly.

Playing also helps children practice language and reasoning through talking and sharing with their friends. When playing, children's minds are relaxed and at ease, while at the same time it encourages independent thinking, problem solving and improves children's ability to concentrate and control their behavior.

Hong Dung