Benefits of Playing Outdoor Games for Children

Written by Smriti Dey | December 13, 2022

Introduction

A famous mountaineer once said, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir knew what he was talking about. When parents find it exhausting to wrestle away screens and gadgets from their children, one wonders what has happened to the olden days when kids were curious enough to conjure up stories, enact adventures, chase tadpoles, and climb up trees. Today we create adventures on phones and fight dragons in video games and have somewhere lost our imagination to technology, or have we not?

What Are the Benefits of Playing Outdoor Games?

Being outdoors has been linked to improved moods and reduced stress, likely due to the physical activity involved and exposure to natural or open settings. One of the reasons outdoor games are so often recommended as a daily habit rather than an occasional treat is because they support several areas of a child’s development at once. Physically, running, climbing, and active play develop coordination, balance, and cardiovascular fitness in ways that feel like fun rather than exercise. Socially, outdoor games usually include other children, whether structured like tag or unstructured like shared imaginative play, and build cooperation, negotiation, and communication.

Outdoor Games by Age Group

Outdoor Play Safety Checklist

• Check the weather before you go out. Avoid days with extreme heat, heavy rain, or poor air quality, when outdoor activity may pose more risk than benefit to a child’s health.
• Make sure children drink plenty of fluids while playing. This is particularly important during the warmer months, and it is better to give water regularly than to wait for the child to ask or show signs of thirst.
• Wear sun protection regularly. Sunscreen and clothing or shade are good ways to protect skin, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV exposure is at its highest.
• Watch traffic around play areas. Set clear rules about where a child can and can't go without checking in first, especially if play is near the road.
• Check equipment before using. Look for visible damage on playground equipment, and ensure sports equipment such as bicycles or skates fit properly and are used with appropriate protective equipment such as helmets.

Ways to Encourage Outdoor Play Without Rewards

Show the outdoors is fun yourself.

If children see the adults in their family having a really good time outside, whether it’s walking, gardening, or just fooling around, they are more likely to see it as a natural and enjoyable part of life, not as a chore.

Choose the activity your child prefers.

If you let them choose what outdoor game or activity they want to engage in, instead of assigning one, it builds real enthusiasm, more so than an activity imposed from without.

Make outdoor time part of a routine.

The need for repeated negotiation is eliminated when you go to the park on a regular Saturday morning or take an after-dinner walk, because it is an expected and predictable part of the schedule.

Finding balance with outdoor play

The truth is that no matter how many benefits remain in favour of outdoor play, there will be more and more kids who will prefer staying indoors in the comforts of their homes and often parents do not feel at ease sending children out due to safety reasons, fear of injuries and other reasons which may all be justified. However, we can encourage our kids to find a balance.

Supervised outdoor play, gradually increasing the intensity of their play and time duration, pairing them up as buddies with a friend to do activities, sending them for summer camps gradually, once they’re old enough and have a few years of outdoor play behind them would be some ways that outdoor life can be embraced by children.

Gradually increase in outdoor lifestyle with incentives

Children model parents and if they see you do the same, children will follow in your footsteps.

• Little words of encouragement and incentives like allowing them TV time when they’ve finished a certain outdoor task or completed a workout can do wonders for their self-esteem. Small tasks completed build confidence and sets a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
• Sitting for hours on the screen or working and playing on their mobiles can leave children feeling fatigued, with neck and shoulder pain, sometimes even migraines that seem to get worse with time.
• These are challenging times but we can definitely get the best of both words and in fact, have them compliment each other. Most of us workout for one hour a day and feel that we have done enough but if in fact, we can split our day up and do some activity intermittently even for 10/15 mins or so, we can have more robust health and cognition.
• Whether it is an outdoor walk (helps prevent short-sightedness), walking bare feet (reduces inflammation), playing in the mud (improves gut health) or going for a swim, assimilating the texture and flavours of nature help us get more connected to ourselves.
• The great outdoors isn’t simply a sight to admire, it is an intrinsic part of our own bodies- a connection to the circadian rhythms and fresh air to harmonize our systems and reduce allergies borne by a lifestyle that is cutting us off from the very earth that we come from.

Conclusion

Outdoor play provides children with great opportunities to move, interact with others, and connect with the natural world. Parents can help these benefits by engaging their children in age-appropriate activities, supervision, and gradual routines. A good balance of outdoor play and screen time can help children gain confidence, stay active, and develop healthier everyday habits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of playing outdoor games?

Outdoor games provide chances for movement, interaction with peers, and time in open or natural environments, promoting physical fitness, social skills, and mental health.

How much outdoor play do children need?

General guidelines recommend a minimum of one hour of active play each day, but this can be divided into shorter intervals spread throughout the day.

Which outdoor games suit different ages?

Younger children can play simple games such as chase or rolling a ball, while older children can handle structured sports such as football or cricket.

How can parents make outdoor play safer?

Before play, check the weather and equipment, ensure proper hydration and sun protection, and maintain age-appropriate supervision.