It’s really no coincidence that May is when we celebrate Mother’s Day as well as National Play Outside Day. Mom was always after us when we were children to “go play outside>”
And for good reason: growing bodies need activity as well and good nutrition. Here are a few reasons to scoot your young’uns out the door and into the yard:
- Good old Vitamin D. It helps everything from bone development to building immunity.
- Let’s face it, play is exercise. And at least an hour a day is good.
- Executive function. Yup, the brain benefits, too. Things like creativity and the ability to multitask get developed when we play.
- Risk taking. While we don’t want them in danger, we don’t want our children to be in a bubble, either. Play develops confidence and bravery to face life’s challenges.
- With play, children learn how to make friends and work together. It’s a good complement to the structured setting of school or teams.
- Appreciation of nature. Seeing and being in the woods, splashing through a stream, seeing and interacting with animals helps them understand, and appreciate, the larger world.
By developing the habit of exercising and being with others and outside, you can prepare your children with a broader sense of life and its complexities. But if they are injured while taking those risks or fording that stream, come see us. We are in the business of making sure they are kept healthy and survive childhood.
Frontline ER is an acute care emergency room providing healthcare services to the communities we live and work within. Give us a call or contact us through our website should you have more questions about our services.
*Photos courtesy of Unsplash
