Outdoor Play In today’s society, we have increasing numbers of obesity in children. Researchers are trying to find the answer as to why this is happening. The sad part is, no one has looked at the numbers of how much time a child spends outside has decreased over the last decade. We have increasing numbers of technology being produced on the market and fail to look at how technology has harmed humans in a biological sense. There has been evidence of blue-violet light, produced from smart phones, is related to macular degeneration, where a macula sits in front of the ocular nerve prohibit loss of central vision (Newsbeat, 2014). Why should our world fall into the trap of smartphones and devices and forget about the outdoors? Playing outdoors stimulates many things for children, along with keeping them healthy. One blog promotes playing outdoors and explains the enhancement of development that happens when a child is outside. It’s time our children step away from technology and learn the greatness of the outdoors. Laurie Hollman (2016), a psychoanalyst, wrote an article on the Huffington post explaining the positive effects of playing outdoors has on children. When a child is able to play outside, they are first learning to coordinate their body with their surroundings. This can either be through playing with a ball, using a swing, playing on a jungle gym, or even playing hop-scotch. When a child is playing with parent outside, they are building a relationship. This
There are many advantages to child-initiated play. Children’s emotional development is particularly supported because children are able to make their own choices. They also gain independence skills as they can help themselves to resources. This type of play helps children to be creative as they have to develop their own ideas of how to play indoors and outdoors.
Spenser’s (1875) ‘surplus energy theory’ states “play is the result of surplus energy that exists because the young are freed from the business of self-preservation through the activities of their parents” (cited in Evans and Pellegrini, 2006, p233). This corresponds to the common view that the playground is the space for physical play. I have witnessed this during sessions at the children’s centre when parents encourage their children to ‘go run off their extra energy’. Yet if the weather is bad, as I previously commented parents do not wish for their child to play outside. There is only one family that I see regularly that I know that whatever the weather allows their child the choice to play outside and
Modern-day, stresses and nerves – and, it ought to be said, an open-air world which truly is less youngster amicable than ever before – has prompted a hazard opposed a culture that discovers expression in oppressive well-being and security arrangements which neglect to measure the advantages of a given movement against the dangers included. Suppliers of kids' play areas, in a similar manner as numerous open administrations, are in dread in case of even minor scratches. So they progressively blunder in favour of alert, putting intensely in effect retaining surfaces and gear that thoroughly meets well-being gauges yet regularly needs genuine play value.Free and unstructured play in the outside lifts critical thinking abilities, centre and self-restraint. Socially, it enhances participation, adaptability, and mindfulness. Enthusiastic advantages incorporate diminished animosity and expanded happiness.Children will be more quick-witted, better ready to coexist with others, more beneficial and more joyful when they have normal open doors for nothing and unstructured play in the out-of-entryways. In a current study a third of kids believed that there was a leaf that can soothe a nettle sting; as per the review, more than seventy-percent of the youngsters that participated in the research have never climbed a tree. Abominable! Ask anybody more than forty to relate to you their most loved recollections of adolescence play, and few will be inside. Less still will include a grown-up.
Natural outdoor environment has positive effects on children's social development and motor skills development.Outdoor play is less structured so it gives children more opportunity to discover, learn about different textures, sounds and children also gain important physical skills.Children feel more free and they use their whole bodies to explore.Natural environments stimulate children's imagination and engage their sense of curiosity.
Physical activity is important to the short term and long term health and well being of children. In the short term physical activity helps children to build muscle, develops the skeletal frame, develops the heart and lung function and helps to prevent obesity. If children have enough physical activity a day which is said to be up to an hour it can help the children get to sleep easier and for longer periods of time, this can then lead onto long term benefits as if the activity is in the garden it will also help the child to build up a good immune system so they will be less likely to fall ill to the common cold or the flu. This outdoor environment helps the over all wellbeing of the children as the outdoors makes them
Another benefit of child-led play is that children, while exploring, are being active and developing different motor skills. This physical play is developed by running, jumping, climbing, and anything that gets them moving in order to develop their muscle and body control (Pasquariello). While the children engage in this type of play, they are able to have fun while also maintaining a healthy body physic. With this they are able to maintain an average “height, weight, general appearance…. and
According to Ginsburg (2006), he believes that play is a vital part of children’s development and is fundamental for every child. This is because playing in a safe outdoor environment will benefit children in acquiring life skills and improve children in all areas of their development. According to Clements (2004), he states that outdoor play allows children to explore their local neighborhood, learn the rules of everyday life and discover the different textures and elements in the world. When children spend most of their childhood time playing or working in natural settings, they will learn to handle challenges, solve problems and are able to have greater respect for themselves, for others, and for the environment. Looking at children’s perspectives, when the environment is clean and safe, learning can take place comfortably. Children should be given the priority to experience stimulating environment where all their needs are taken
Thesis statement: people who go play outside received more benefit that essential to people life such as losing weight, promoting social skills, and increasing flexibility.
Santrock (2012) also outlines the benefit of play for the child's physical development, as it "permits the child to work off excess physical energy and to release pent-up tensions" (Santrock, 2012, p.438), resulting in improved physical and mental health. Garvey (1991, p.27) states that play involving physical activity occurs more frequently in healthy children, possibly confirming that it is a component of healthy development. In addition to this, encouraging physical activity through play could influence the children to maintain a healthy lifestyle later in life, and has an array of physical and mental health benefits which prevent disease associated with lack of activity (Chaloux and Media, 2013.)
Like other play physical play also provide cognitive and academic domains. Physical activity contribute to develop and expression of self- control. For example, running around game of chase, children are at high level of arousal, but when the game is over they must control their behavior in order to disengage and settle down. Many studies have shown that moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity can improve executive function in school going children, organized games and sports may be even more effective, because they require continuous attention and disciplined action. If physical play can impact executive function in children, it may have impact on academic outcomes. Taking breaks for physical play also has direct impact on learning,
There's people saying they rather have their children inside the house because they don't want them to get hurt. Actually I think the best thing is to have them playing outside instead inside the house on their phone 24/7. I understand that your scared they might get hurt but soon or later your child is gonna get hurt no matter what. There's some kids that if you tell them to go play outside they will actually tell you that they don't know any games. I'm glad that I didn't spent my times just stuck in my room doing nothing on the phone.
Play is the business of childhood, allowing your child free rein to experiment with the world around him and the emotional world inside him, says Linda Acredolo, professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and co-author of Baby Signs: How to Talk With Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk and Baby Minds: Brain-Building Games Your Baby Will Love. While it may look like mere child's play to you, there's a lot of work — problem solving, skill building, overcoming physical and mental challenges — going on behind the scenes. Here are some of the things your child is experiencing and learning, along with ideas on how you can help boost the benefits of his play. Play builds the
Play is considered as an important tool for emotional development as children recognise themselves more clearly and they are encouraged to fully realize their potential (Oliver & Klugman, 2002). Piaget explains that during pre-operational stage children develop their ability to distinguish between the real and mental world by using an object as a symbol for something else rather than the object itself and Vygotsky also agreed to this concept (Dockett & Fleer, 2002). Play enables them to share their play with their peers and listen to others point of views which develop their empathy (Smidt, 2011). Play positively affects the emotional well- being of the child when they show their enjoyment through laughter, smiles. They get motivated to play when they are the active participants in the play and achieve mastery in known fields being acknowledged by the adults. It gives them internal excitement which nurtures their desire to learn.
Some say that kids will be distracted after class, yet studies have proven that playing outside helps enhance the brain. The brain is divided into two sides. The right side is the creative side, and the left side is the more logical side (“Left”). Playing life size pac-man engages in both sides of the brain. They use creativity to come up with creative ways to win, and they can use the logical side of the brain to find a logical way to escape the peers and still have all the balls.
In today’s society children are increasingly becoming less active. Lack of physical activity in childhood leads to obesity, can increase one’s risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status. Physical inactivity also increases one’s risk for dying prematurely, dying of heart disease, and colon cancer. Technology and video games have become a major factor in this and have seemed to take over and control lives of many children. Less children are involved with sports and few play outside. The lack of physical activity as a child, can pay huge dividends in the child’s health, into his/her adulthood.