Outdoor Play - Healthy Fun for Everyone!
Submitted by Diane Gallagher from Be Fit For Life
I was fortunate enough to grow up in a close-knit neighbourhood full of kids and surrounded by green space where we biked, explored, caught minnows, tobogganed, played tag, baseball, soccer, hide and seek, British bulldog and more. Outdoor play was easy and fun and made a long-lasting impact that I expect many of you can relate to. We took these experiences for granted and never gave a thought to how they effected our development – physically, socially or mentally – they were just fun!
Fast forward 30 years and now there are a host of studies to examine just this – outdoor play and how it benefits and effects health and development throughout the lifespan. While there are many perspectives on this topic, I’d like to examine it through the lens of physical literacy.
Outdoor Play Builds Physical Literacy Physical Literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.
Building any skill takes time and physical skills are no exception. The great outdoors provides endless opportunities to run, jump, climb and throw without the need for any special equipment or instruction. Rocks, sticks, logs, branches, puddles, paths, benches, and playgrounds naturally get us moving in a variety of ways. Developing physical literacy ideally starts in the early years but is something we should strive to continue throughout our lives - we are never too old to learn (or re-learn) something! No matter what our age, as our abilities develop, so does our confidence, and with more confidence, we are more motivated to keep engaging. This is a positive cycle that builds skills that will help us beyond the play space, contributing to long-term health and wellness.
Physical Literacy – Good for Mind, Body and Spirit When we notice an improvement in even our basic physical abilities (like catching a ball, jumping higher, riding a bike, keeping better balance in hopscotch or yoga) we get a boost to our self-confidence. This in turn contributes to better mental health and resilience, significantly impacting our wellness. The natural environment provides a less structured and less competitive platform for play which can encourage more participation from young and old alike. Everyone can reap the benefits of building strong bones and muscles, improving reflexes and balance, and simply finding the opportunity to have fun!
Learning even basic physical skills, which nature play strongly facilitates, translates to the development of emotional and social skills as well. Outdoor spaces inspire imagination and creativity. Add in some playmates and you also get opportunities to enjoy connections and build social skills like cooperation, self-control, listening, and leading. While the indoors can provide a great environment for play, the outdoors has variety, elements (think seasonal weather) and sensory experiences (think of smells, sounds and textures) we just can’t replicate in an indoor space. Then there’s the simple fact that being in fresh air, sunshine and wide-open spaces where you can run and shout just feels good! This sort of play floods our bodies with endorphins – the chemicals that help us feel happy, reduce stress hormones, and promote relaxation. The cognitive and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors are well documented for all ages.
Playing outdoors is a WIN all around. Our bodies get stronger, our minds and senses are stimulated, our emotions get a boost, our quality of life simply improves. It helps us develop our physical literacy, making it more likely that we’ll stay active and continue to reap these benefits throughout our lives. So get your kids outside and find your fun too! How are you going to play outside this weekend?
Sources and references
https://activeforlife.com/physical-literacy-2/ http://befitforlife.ca/resources/plhandout http://befitforlife.ca/resources/developing-physical-literacy-early-years-poster http://befitforlife.ca/resources/myactivefamily http://befitforlife.ca/resources/mindfulwalking