Physical Health Benefits of Outdoor Play

Have you read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett or Heidi by Johanna Spyri? What do these two books have in common? Both emphasize the importance and benefits of outdoor play. In The Secret Garden, Mary is transformed from “quite contrary” to deeply compassionate and nurturing. In Heidi, Clara is healed by nature.

Reading these books got me thinking about my daughters. They, like most kids these days, spend about 2 to 3 hours on their devices (I limit them). When I was a kid, I spent too much time watching TV. However, we didn’t have “play dates.” We walked down the street, knocked on a neighbor’s door, and asked if so and so could play. When I was a teen, we gathered at night at a neighbor’s yard and played hide-and-seek tag. All the neighborhood teens just showed up. It began impromptu and continued as a routine. My dad had a 5-week vacation. He took them all at once, and we would go camping as a family for over a month. This bonded us as a family. I remember skiing on Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, with freezing-cold but wonderfully smooth water. My greatest memory is climbing Longs Peak with my dad when I was 12 years old. Those experiences are ones I’ll treasure forever. I want to give my kids experiences like those.

Playing outside is incredibly beneficial for children. It offers natural cardiovascular exercise, builds motor skills, and exposes them to fresh air and sunlight. This sun exposure helps the body manufacture vital vitamin D, which is essential for developing strong bones and maintaining a healthy immune system.

Unstructured physical activity, especially outdoor play during the day, also helps children sleep better at night. It can increase concentration and improve their mood the next day. Kids feel better the next day. Leading pediatric organizations, including the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), emphasize that allowing children to engage in free play under natural sunlight sets off a domino effect of physical and psychological health benefits.

I know when we are camping as a family, we sleep better, and we feel more energized. Our kids look visably more heathly and happier.

Social Skills Development Through Outdoor Activities

Screens and the amount of time your child spends on devices are key reasons outdoor time should be a regularly scheduled activity. Kids, in our day, more naturally gravitate toward devices since they are so readily available and are programmed to get their attention through notifications and endorphin-producing “likes.” You can actually reduce the effects of screen time by spending time outdoors. So schedule time away from those devices. When kids play outside, it promotes active engagement with their peers and the natural environment. It helps them develop respect for the creation and compassion for others around them.

Outdoor play naturally cultivates teamwork by requiring participants to communicate, negotiate roles, and coordinate actions in real-time. The unstructured and expansive nature of the outdoors encourages active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution, which are essential for building trust and achieving shared goals.

As a kid, I was involved in flag football and baseball with the YMCA. In high school, I was on the track and cross-country team. I learned good sportsmanship corporating with teammates. I learned to rejoice when others succeed. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15.

Cognitive Growth Linked to Outdoor Experiences

It is no coincidence that our Creator commanded us to ‘speak to the earth’ to learn its lessons (Job 12:8). Modern neuroscience is finally catching up to ancient Scripture, proving that our brains are structurally and chemically wired to unlock their highest potential the moment we step into creation.

Creating Opportunities for Outdoor Play

1. Go on a nature hunt just around the block. This is similar to a scavenger hunt expect we didn’t have a specific list of things to find. We would walk with our kids and ask them to point out things they saw, like different flowers, bugs, and animals.
2. Go camping. This takes a bit of work and planning, but it is worth it. Our family likes KOA‘s because they often have a pool and showers. We sleep in tents but on self-inflating mattresses. On these trips, we’ve gone hiking, horseback riding, and swimming. Of course, we gazed at the stars, had campfires, and made s’mores.
3. Make regular visits to the neighborhood park. I can’t count how many times I’ve pushed my kids on the swings, slid down slides, and climbed apparatuses. My girls love to play foursquare. We live near a school that has a foursquare set up, so we walk across the street with our own ball and play.
4. Ride bikes to the store or to get ice cream. We live fairly near a Walmart. We’ve walked there and ridden our bikes instead of driving. The reward of ice cream is a great motivator to ride our bikes. We’ve also played tag on our bikes around the school in our neighborhood. As a kid, I used to play tag on my bike through the alleyways. When I told my girls this, they wanted to try.

However you do it, get your kids to play outside. You’ll see a noticeable difference. Let’s break the curse of the screens and enjoy God’s creation as he meant it to be enjoyed!