BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR PLAY

Benefits of Outdoor play

Benefits of Outdoor play

Introduction

scope of the topic

Today's children may be the first generation at risk of having a shorter lifespan than their parents. An increase in sedentary indoor lifestyles has contributed to childhood chronic conditions such as childhood obesity, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and vitamin D deficiency, all of which have increased in prevalence in the UK over the past few decades. Such conditions may lead to pulmonary, cardiovascular, and mental health problems that can persist into adulthood. While myriad advances in pediatric health care have been made over the past few decades, they have been accompanied by vast increases in chronic health issues.

Purpose Of Study

The purpose of the study was to identify the role the adult plays in a child's outdoor learning experiences.

Research Questions

Why is the outdoor environment important in supporting children's learning?

How do Practitioners plan the environment to support children's learning?

Why I have chosen to do this topic?

We know sitting in front of video games and TV. are not health beneficial. Being out doors helps our children to become creative. It is also known that children sleep better when they have played outdoors. My own children spent hours outdoors. They came in filthy, ninety percent of the time. They were so exhausted they would fall asleep in their bath. I did not mind the dirt on them nor did my wife, it meant to us that our children had a great time.

According to the Health Academy, the average child watches nearly 3 hours of television per day. (Mithal,2009) Young people spend roughly 7.5 hours a day consuming some form of electronic media—an hour more than was reported 5 years ago. Exacerbating the issue, many children have television sets in their bedrooms: 32% of 2-7 year olds and 65% of 8-18 year olds. Research has also suggested that excessive television viewing may negatively affect children's health. (Bell,2005) Increased television viewing has been linked to obesity, poor oral hygiene, and poor overall health.

Having kids go out and pick different leaves up to put in wax paper is a great way to get them outside and walking around. The children adore little art projects such as this. There are many benefits to outdoor play. It also gives our children a sense of adventure if they live near woods, always making sure they never enter extremely wooded areas alone.

Literature Review

A critical dialogue has emerged in both the public health and the environmental education communities about the benefits of nature for children. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, coined the term “nature-deficit disorder” to describe children's lack of outdoor activity, replaced by electronic media and a demanding school schedule. These lifestyle changes have promoted physical inactivity, have social and psychological ramifications, and have aided in the increasing chronic disease trend. Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence has suggested that exposure to nature may directly benefit health. (Juster,2004) There is also a strong body of evidence attributing health to physical activity, and recent ...