Are your kids getting outdoor play?

Playing outdoors is the best childhood memory for most of us!! But sadly the culture of playing outdoors is slowly diminishing.

WHO recommends that children between the age of 5- 18 must engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous play each day. Unfortunately, 1 in 3 kids around the world is unable to meet these requirements.

The physical play has declined throughout the world, thanks to the advent of digital media. The screen time has increased from 4 to 5 hrs a day for children aged 8 to 18. As a result, childhood obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic constipation are on a high.

As a mom of two super energetic kids, I have always been very particular about taking them to play outdoors from a very young age. And the benefits are manifold:

1) Happy and Calm: It has been rightly said that “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”! Having happy and calm kids is a blessing for any parent. Kids are hard-wired to play. It is through play that children learn and make interactions with the outside world. Play is so important for the optimal child development that it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights(UNHCnHR) as a right of every child.

2) Brain Development: 75% of brain development happens in the first 6 years of birth. Research has proved that children who play regularly concentrate more in the classroom and have better IQ than their counterparts.

3) Emotional Development: A lot has been focused on developing the IQ and neglecting the EQ (Emotional Quotient). A balance of both is critical for being successful in life. Play helps children develop their EQ by learning to cooperate with peers, learning to follow rules, waiting for their turn and also in regulating the temper tantrums. As children engage in physical play they experience a heightened arousal level, and when they finish the game they learn to settle down and disengage from the euphoric state. This practice teaches them to regulate their emotions and develop more emotional matter.

4)Healthy bones and muscles: Studies reveal that children who played a sport in their high school had fewer doctor visits in their lifetime. Playing helps build stronger bones, muscle growth, growth of major organs, better coordination of hands and legs.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

Given so many health benefits of sports and physical play, we often wonder if my child is getting enough time to play each day. The following table will help you understand if there is adequate playtime in your child’s daily schedule:AgeNumber of hours for physical playAge-appropriate play suggestions0-12 monthsSeveral play times during the day.

Playing on the tummy for 30 mins.

1. Hang colorful rattles to the baby cot

2. Toys with lights and sound

3. Baby piano

4. Baby gym

5. Baby rocker1- 3 years1.5 hours of energetic play.

It can be divided into 30 minutes of play at least 3 times a day.

1. Peek a boo

2. Hide and seek

3. Dancing on rhymes

4. Sliding and running in a park

5. Simple ball games like kicking the football, catching a ball3-5 yearsAt least 1 hour of energetic play.

Free Play spread throughout the day

1. Playing tag

2. Swimming

3. Cycling

4. Other running games5-9 years1 hour of moderate to vigorous play every-day

5. Swimming

6. Skating

7. Tennis

8. Basketball

9. Dance10-12 years1 – 1.5 hours of moderate to vigorous play every-day

10. Team sports

11.  Adventure sports

12. Martial Arts13-17years1 – 1.5 hours of moderate to vigorous play every-day

13. Competitive Sports

14. Personal Fitness

15. Adventure Sports

Hope the above chart helps you find out if your child is getting the outdoor play that is age-appropriate to help them to grow into healthy and happy adults.

Someone rightly said that

you have a happy life when at the end of the day, your feet are dirty, hair messy and eyes sparkly !!