Why Children Need Outdoor Playtime
Dr. Karen Baker, BSc, DC
Children and adolescents spend far fewer hours playing outside
than they did in past decades. Free time, which was once filled
with hours of unstructured play in the backyard or park, is now
consumed by structured sports and inside sedentary activities
such as TV, video games, computers and the Internet.
Think that unstructured outdoor play is just all fun and games or
a waste of time? Think again! Scientists are discovering that
outside free play offers immense benefits for a child’s growing
mind and body. And Dr. Baker wants patients to know about
these advantages. Benefits include decreased risks of cancer,
heart disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
obesity and depression. Outdoor free time also appears to slash
incidences of colds and flu.
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Penn., stress
the importance of encouraging young children, especially
preschoolers, to engage in ‘active, unstructured, outdoor play.’
Parents and daycare providers should use language and words
that engage children in physically active outdoor play involving
movement. To this end, experts suggest using the word ‘play’
with preschoolers to encourage movement and exercise.
Outdoor play should be encouraged not only for its effects on
physical health, but also for its benefit to a child’s well-being
(Archi Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005; 159:46).
