Why outdoor play is essential for your child's health and development

In today's world of electronic devices and streaming services, kids spend more time indoors than ever before. However, missing out on time outdoors can hurt their health. To combat this, you can help by playing with your children outside and exploring the natural world. In doing so, you are giving them plenty of health benefits.‍

‍Increase Vitamin D

Your body creates vitamin D when you are out in the sunshine. It only takes around 15 minutes a day, a few days a week, yet many children still don't get enough. Vitamin D deficiency can cause mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and may lead to poor behaviour in children.‍

‍Improve Cardiovascular Health

It's never too early to start improving cardiovascular health. When you play with your children outside, they are usually active, which raises the heart rate, boosts fitness, and improves circulation. The result is that your child develops a strong and healthy cardiovascular system, making them less susceptible to high blood pressure and other heart issues.

Sleep Better at Night

Poor sleep is more disruptive to children than it is to adults. Adults can usually power through the next day and still get everything done. But children need more rest, and a bad night can translate into a wasted next day. Getting outdoors helps by keeping your child active and using pent-up energy. Also, using devices makes falling asleep harder at night, so the less screen time they have, the more likely they will get a good night's rest.

Develop Creativity

Being outside stimulates the brain in far more ways than being stuck indoors. There are always different sounds, sights, and smells to process, which keeps your child's brain active. All this stimulus improves concentration, boosts cognitive health, and increases creativity far more than at home.

Improve Social Skills

Outside, your child is likely to bump into other children in the area and friends from school or nursery, which can help with their social development. In a world of devices, social skills are often learned online or on social media, which is a far stretch from the personal interactions your child will need to develop. Getting outside and meeting children they wouldn't normally play with can be vital for their development.

Spending time in nature is ideal, but it's unrealistic for some families to take their children to explore the natural world. Not everyone has a beach or forest they can visit, but there are still plenty of places you can explore, even in cities such as Chelmsford.

Every parent wants what's best for the children, and getting outdoors can boost their development. You don't have to go anywhere extravagant, although if you have access to a beach or nature walk, they are fantastic places for children. As long as you get outside, stretch your legs, and have some fun, you'll be doing what's best for your child.