For preschool age children, the outdoors is the best place to work on their physical skills. Jumping, running, riding bikes and balancing on walking cups help improve large motor skills. It is also a perfect time for practicing ball-handling skills like throwing and catching to master hand eye coordination. The children work on their manipulative skills while using different objects in the sandbox such as pushing dump trucks and pouring sand into sifters.
While playing outside cognitive and social/emotional areas are developing as well. Children express themselves and learn about the world while pretending and using their imagination with friends. They are in control and feeling safe. This is important for their self-esteem, decision-making, and organizational skills. Inventing rules for games promotes an understanding of why rules are necessary. As children play and have fun they are learning to communicate effectively and solve conflicts. What’s great about outdoor play, you can be loud, get all the energy out of your body and when you come back inside you can focus on the task at hand while in a classroom setting.
Studies show that as many as half of American children are not getting enough physical exercise and that risk factors like hypertension and arteriosclerosis are showing up at age 5! While children play outdoors, they burn more calories which helps prevent obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. Being outside is also important because sunlight and fresh air stimulates brain activity, improves our immune system and makes us feel happier.
Creative Years offers large, open space play yards for children ages 10 weeks to six years old with grass areas to run, large climbing equipment, bikes and sandboxes with a variety of toys to choose from. Please visit us at www.creativeyears.com or www.facebook.com/creativeyears.