Every single parent wants to do their very best for their children, and a part of that is in being able to provide them with the right environment for them to play. You want a safe play space inside, but you should also want them to have a play area outside the house, one that is safe and easy for your supervision.
There are so many ways that you can give your children a place to play outside that is worth it for them and while children have a different upbringing today than we did, they still need somewhere they can run and get mucky in nature. You can have a front yard curated by highly rated landscapers, but your backyard can be the space your children can make a mess with the mud kitchen, can run and wrestle, and can use the wet grass as a slip and slide. Below, we’ve got all of the reasons that you need to let your children play outside as much as possible.
- Your kids will be soaking up some much needed sunshine. Yes, they will need sunscreen, but it’s the sun exposure for a little while which will top up their levels of vitamin D. This can help with bone development, helping your immune system and improving your sleep and your mood.
- They can get moving. Children LOVE to run. They like to race and jump, to learn to cartwheel and to play games with their siblings and friends. Sure, they can do all of this indoors, but outside they get their bodies moving with all of the fresh air that they need. This can encourage active play that your children will benefit from in a BIG way.
- They will learn to problem solve. To you, it’s a backyard. To your kids, it’s a desert and there are Cowboys and Thieves hiding in the bushes. They learn to problem solve, to prioritize, to negotiate and troubleshoot. They learn to make up their own games and use their imaginations. It’s all of this that will give them the life skills that they need to improve.
- Kids learn to take risks. Children need to be allowed to safely make mistakes and trip over, and your backyard can be that place. Sure, they can get some cuts and bruises but it’s how they learn to handle themselves.
- They can learn to be social. Inviting all of the children in the neighborhood over to your backyard where the toys are and the fun games are, it’s exciting for the kids. If they only have structured play, they won’t get the same exposure that they need.
- They’ll learn to love the outdoors. The world is changing and if your kids spend all their time indoors, they will never learn to appreciate nature and enjoy the great outdoors. Providing your kids with a playspace will help them to learn the joy of digging in the mud with their hands and see how it feels. They learn to love being outside!
