Hey, fellow parents, this blog is for you! We all know it is healthy for our kids to be outside, but why?  Well, let’s dig into it a little. Taking our little ones for a walk, going to the park, or going camping are all fun things; they get us away from screens and can create lasting memories, but what else does it do for our children? It helps with their physical and mental well-being, cognitive development, and social skills and gives them an appreciation for Nature.

Let’s start with Physical Health and Development. Activities that children find to do outdoors enhance motor skills.  Do any of you remember being asked by your parents to go outside as a kid?  What did we do?  We jumped around on rocks, made obstacle courses, had running contests, climbed trees, and practiced our cartwheels in the grass! Not only do all of these things improve motor skills, but they also build muscle strength and enhance balancing capability. 

Second, mental well-being. I find more and more that being stuck inside creates stress for my children, who take their stress out on creating giant messes in my house!  We currently live in an area that is cold five to six months out of the year.  It is hard to want to go outside during the winter months.  I have realized, though, that on the occasions when we bundle up in our coats, boots, and hats and brave the outdoors, it not only improves my mood but my children come back inside calmer, crankiness has subsided, and they are more ready to participate in the day to day things that need to get done. Even in the cold, the vitamin D from the sun will enhance their mood, as well as lower any anxiety or depression they might be feeling. It can be a 20-minute walk or the time it takes them to build a snowman.  It all helps!

Thirdly, cognitive development.  Being out in nature fosters creativity, planning, problem-solving, and multitasking.  Did you ever sit and make a crown made of sticks, make mud pies, or create anything out of nature as a child?  Well, I did, and I want the same experience for my kids. Giving children the time and the space to be creative and to figure out fun things to play is going to be extremely beneficial in their future lives.  These are skills that lots of adults still struggle with.  Children can learn these skills just by giving them the space to get bored.  That is truly where the creativity starts.  Children don’t always need to be entertained.  They will find their own entertainment, creating new neuro-pathways in their brains. 

Fourth, gaining social skills.  It seemed so easy to make friends as a child.  All you had to do was be near another child in the sandbox, and suddenly, you were playing together even though you didn’t even know the other kid’s name! Collaborating with other children through play teaches our kids how to share, negotiate, be empathetic, include those who may be left out, and foster and grow relationships.  It comes more naturally to children. We, as parents, may jump in from time to time when kids have a hard time figuring out relationship techniques with each other. Still, in reality, I believe we can learn so much more from watching how children react to each other and emulate them rather than trying to teach our children to emulate us.

Lastly, gaining an appreciation for nature.  The more people take part in nature, the more they care about it.  The more they care about it, the more they want to preserve it. Getting our kids out in nature will instill an even more profound reverence for our earth and how beautiful and vital it is to life. When we let our children experience gardening, watching wildlife, hiking, or swimming in a lake, it will create a lasting impression on their young minds. Incorporating outdoor activities into our routines will not only support the development of our children but help them find a deeper connection to the world we live in and how important nature is to humanity. 

Here at Rudger we want to inspire people to get outdoors. If you are interested in our products, visit us at Rudger.com