The 10 best activities.
Today, many parents find themselves busy with several jobs and do not seem to have enough free time to devote to their children.
Sometimes it’s easier for them to sit them in front of the screens and let them play games or watch a TV show.
Spending time outside is very essential for children’s development.
Why is this so and what outdoor activities can the children try?
Why is outdoor activity important?
It is a known fact that activity in the fresh air is a large part of maintaining health, in addition to a balanced diet and adequate sleep.
So what are the benefits of outdoor exercise for kids?
Physical growth:
Physical activity is essential for a child’s growth. Physical activity will help your little ones strengthen their bones and muscles and the whole body.
Moreover, building a good foundation from a young age reduces the risk of bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis.
All this is possible thanks to sunlight, which helps us all get enough vitamin D.
This vitamin has many important roles in our body, including calcium absorption which leads to strong bones.
Strengthening motor skills:
Younger children will enjoy outdoor activities, which help develop and refine motor skills.
These skills are essential for feeding and dressing oneself, among many other things.
Playing outside they are exposed to challenging surfaces and a diverse environment with many stimuli,
to which they will learn to adapt quickly.
Fitness:
Physical activity also helps build strength, flexibility, stability and endurance.
This means that your children will have the strength and energy to carry out various tasks during the day and will be able to walk longer distances.
Weight maintenance:
Another thing parents should keep an eye on during their child’s development is the risk of obesity.
To prevent a lot of weight gain and help your child burn calories, encourage them to spend time outside in different activities.
This is essential because overweight children are at higher risk and have to deal with the health consequences of obesity as adults.
Cardiovascular health:
While a little chubby is not a problem, obesity can put children at risk for cardiovascular diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.
Being outside in the fresh air and getting enough exercise can help prevent these health problems.
Better posture:
Sitting in front of the computer most of the day often leads to muscle weakness.
Fortunately, this common problem can be corrected by exercise.
Various physical activities can improve your child’s posture by improving their core and spine strength.
Good posture is essential for the continuation of life as it protects against spinal deformities and body pain.
Prevention of myopia:
Staring at a screen all day is harmful, reading can also lead to myopia.
When spending time outside, the children get a chance to rest their eyes a little and benefit from exposure to sunlight.
Cognitive development:
Quality physical activity not only benefits the body but also the mind.
Physical activity also plays a central role in brain development.
When we are active, the nerve cells multiply more and create new connections.
This has a positive effect and greatly improves concentration.
mental health:
Your child’s mental health is definitely an area you cannot afford to ignore.
Fortunately, exercise can actually prevent stress, anxiety and depression.
Physical activity can create a good feeling that greatly improves our mood.
Spending time outside also increases the secretion of serotonin, thanks to vitamin D,
So the combination of the two contributes to both the body and the mind at the same time.
Self-Esteem:
Along with improving mood and mental health, physical activity can also contribute to children’s self-confidence.
If they start playing sports, they will have higher self-esteem the better they are at what they do.
Furthermore, maintaining a healthy weight will help them create a healthy self-image.
Social skills:
Participating in sports will not only boost their self-confidence but also their social skills.
Team sports teach children how to communicate with their peers, notice non-verbal cues, and even adopt leadership roles.
Since spending time in nature can make us less stressed, it’s no wonder that maintaining friendships is easier.
Improved sleep:
Some studies also link the quality of sleep to spending time outside.
While there are children who have difficulty sleeping, playing outside will affect the quality of their sleep and they will fall asleep faster,
Because exposure to sunlight helps the circadian rhythm that tells us when it’s time to sleep.
Protecting the environment:
Finally, by encouraging children to explore the variety of activities and enjoyment that exist outside,
They will feel a better appreciation for the Earth. They will behave in such a way as to protect the environment.
They will be more aware of the environment and less dirty,
Especially if parents turn their attention to this issue and educate them to support and protect nature and animals.
What activities can children do outside?
When it comes to activities kids can do outside, the options are, thankfully, plentiful.
However, it is also important to teach your children to relax after playing outside.
walk:
The simplest activity, walking is something you can do together.
If you take your children for an evening walk, run errands in the city or go to other places,
Depending on your needs it doesn’t matter. Your child will not adopt a sedentary lifestyle,
Rather, he will perform some physical activity in his life that will improve his balance and reduce body fat.
In addition, walking is an activity that does not require special equipment other than comfortable shoes.
running:
Another activity you can do together is running.
Running around your residence also goes a long way in fulfilling your little one’s daily activity needs.
Running is also a great option as it requires no membership or equipment just running shoes.
This activity can help build strong bones and strengthen muscles while improving their cardiovascular fitness.
Cycling:
For cycling, you’ll need a little more gear. For starters, you need to make sure your child has a suitable bike in the right size.
A helmet and protective pads are also a must. If you are still teaching them,
You can consider exercise wheels or balance bikes.
Be sure to also teach them the rules of the road before going for a ride around the city, or the settlement where you live.
In case they are older, you can allow them to ride on their own.
Cycling has many benefits: such as improving posture, increased flexibility and joint mobility, and even a decrease in stress.
For a more challenging ride, you can consider mountain biking as a great father/son bonding activity.
Swimming:
If you live near a beach, great – swimming is an amazing activity that will build the endurance of your little ones,
Shape your muscles and help them maintain a healthy weight.
However, even if you don’t have a beach nearby, go to the local swimming pool. If they are still learning to swim,
Buy them floats that will ensure they are safe. Furthermore, of course, be sure to use sunscreen with a high sun protection factor.
Jump rope:
This is a simple activity that requires only one piece of equipment – a jump rope.
Going outside and skipping rope is something your child can do on their own whenever they are bored.
Just 20 minutes of this activity has incredible health benefits.
climb trees:
A challenging activity that can be done is climbing trees.
If you provide your children with a safe outdoor environment and check all trees to see that they are solid,
You should allow them to climb trees in the yard, or in nature. It shouldn’t be dangerous.
Just remember to let them know how high they are allowed to go and maybe you can even show them some tips and tricks.
horticulture:
Another outdoor activity that you can do with your children and teach them some important lessons is gardening.
If you already have a garden where you grow plants or trees for your family, introducing them as a hobby for children should not be difficult.
However, even if you are inexperienced in the field, you can learn together.
Not only will you be in the sunlight and fresh air, you will also get a moderate intensity workout by lifting gardening tools, a wheelbarrow and soil bags.
fishing:
Fishing is another interesting hobby that you can do together to provide your family with food, or enjoyment.
Teach your child the basics or watch some YouTube tutorials together to see best practices.
Fishing is a relaxing activity that can reduce stress, as well as improve concentration and keep you both fit.
Personal sports:
There are a wide variety of relaxing and beneficial activities that your child can do.
However, they can also go a step further and consider a challenging sport that they enjoy.
If they want to be competitive, they can consider tennis, golf, kayaking, surfing and windsurfing.
All of these sports have their benefits, but the biggest is surely being outdoors.
Team sports:
Team sports might be a little better for the social issue. with it possible,
Check if your children want to register for beach volleyball, soccer, basketball, etc.
As you can see, spending time and being active outside has many amazing benefits for your child.
Although there are so many interesting activities to think about,
See how your little ones feel about these ten ideas and start there.
