The importance of the Great Outdoors

Playing outside is paramount to children’s physical, social and emotional development. After all, children cannot bounce off the walls, if the walls are not there. Children learn many skills when playing outside, from learning to run on uneven grounds, riding bikes, and communicating with their friends, to just simply being happy.

Outdoors provide practical learning experiences, stimulating the brain in multiple areas. It feeds children’s imagination, and curiosity, and builds their confidence. Children feel more in control of their learning, therefore more motivated and engaged.

The outdoor environment provides great opportunities for stimulating children’s senses. Children have the freedom to see, listen, touch and smell. What can be better than making a mud pie in a mud kitchen and sharing it with friends and teachers?

Children learn in a safe environment by taking small risks. The flexibility and freedom of an outside space allow children to achieve with a degree of challenge, encourage perseverance and build resilience. Children learn how to assess situations, self-regulate, and become more confident.

Children improve their health and fitness through outdoor play. They build skills that can influence their future health and well-being. After a busy day outside, our parents collect tired happy children, who sleep beautifully at night.