What’s Play Good For? PLENTY!
Here are just some of the benefits of more outdoor time and play:
Better school performance Time spent in nature and increased fitness improves cognitive function.
More creativity Outdoor play uses and nurtures the imagination and encourages collaboration.
Much higher levels of fitness Kids are more active when they are outdoors.
More friends Children who organize their own games and participate in unstructured group activities are less solitary and learn to interact with their peers.
Laughter. Running. Jumping. Climbing. Swinging. Sliding. When you think of a playground, you think of a happy, carefree…voiceofplay.org
Less depression and hyperactivity Time in nature is soothing, improves mood, and reduces stress. It can also increase kids’ attention span, because things move at a slower pace than they do on the screen.
Stronger bones Exposure to natural light helps prevent vitamin D deficiency, making outdoorsy children less vulnerable to bone problems, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health issues.
Improved eyesight Time spent outdoors can help combat increasing diagnoses of nearsightedness.
Better sleep Exposure to natural light, and lots of physical activity, help reset a child’s natural rhythms.