Friday, July 31, 2015
Learning in the Great Outdoors
Benefits of Outdoor Play for Brain Development
I wrote a
friend today about our recent week long river trip. I told him that river trips reserve a special
place in me because some of my favorite childhood experiences were on river
trips. I read a happy fact that children
who play outdoors are regularly happier and healthier. And then I read an unhappy fact that children
these days are spending increasingly less time playing outdoors. A fourth grader was quoted in “Last Child in
the Woods” by Richard Louv saying “I like to play indoors better ‘cause that’s
where all the electric outlets are.” I
remember my sister and me playing every season outdoors and having to be called
in for dinner. Unfortunately more
studies are proving that children today spend less time playing outdoors than
any previous generation. (Clements,
2004; Hofferth and Curtin, 2006). What’s
worse is the amount of time spent with electronics and the television increases
with a child’s age. And there seems to
be a relationship to child obesity and time spent playing computer games.
As I write this, I look out at the local
playground and see only one child playing on the toys. Some key benefits of playing outdoors: more
physically fit, healthier immune systems, more creativity and active
imaginations, less stress, more self-respect and respect for others. And now back to the one kid I see playing at
the park right now—my dog and I watch as the little girl hollers with delight
“Grandma please wait for me” and running up the hill. To my amazement after little girl gets to the
top of the hill Grandma goes into a beauty of a body roll down and down. Little girl follows Grandma’s lead in a faster
pace roll accompanied with a squeal and giggle all the way. To my amazement two on looking older kids see
this and begin rolling down the hill also!
Go Grandma! The little girl walks
back to the toys after the roll session and I think she looks to have the most
confident little girl walk I have ever seen.
I feel happier seeing these beautiful interactions full off activity,
play, enthusiasm, laughter and fun. I
feel the Universe has opened up to me at this moment to show me just what I
needed to see. I want to shout to the
great outdoors that I love what it has to offer me and my fellow humans, to my
dog and everything living. Reach my arms
in the air for gratitude of the sun and breeze and birds in the sky. Thankful for this moment and the clan of four
kids that just climbed into swings. I
don’t need more quotes from doctors or research from scientists (although those
are always interesting) to prove that outdoor/active play is beneficial. I know it in my heart as truth. I remember my journal entries from my
adolescent years saying as a mantra how I love and live by outdoor
activities. I have always known
this. And I know the best thing I can do
for myself when I’m feeling low is to get outside. With an air of urgency I say to myself (or
out loud) “to the outdoors!” And the
outdoors works to lift my spirits every time.
If I don’t know how to get words to a page—“to the outdoors” and my
creativity is boosted every time. So I
say now “to the outdoors!” Get out there
and play!
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