Summer means warm weather, sunny days, and most importantly for the kids, no school. Make sure your child makes the most of their break by spending their free time outside. Playing outdoors not only gives kids the exercise they need to stay healthy, but it’s also a vital part of early child development. Here is why outside play is important for your little one.

Why Playing Outdoors Benefits Your Child’s Development

Increasing Social Development

Kids need to learn how to communicate, empathize, cooperate, and express their ideas and emotions effectively. These skills are best built through peer interactions, which happen naturally through outdoor play. Whether you take your child to a playground or set up playdates with friends, practicing their social skills will help them become a more well-rounded individual.

Soaking in Sunlight

Sunshine can make you feel warm and pleasant, and it’s also great for your health. Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, supporting growing bones and immune function. Vitamin D also reduces the risk of developing chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Just be sure to rub a protective layer of sunscreen onto your child before they venture out.

Building Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are the small movements from fingers and hands that work in coordination with your eyes, while gross motor skills are the larger movements made with your arms, legs, and body. These are key factors in early child development that greatly benefit from outside play. Climbing, running, jumping, swinging, sliding, and playing sports all build the muscle and coordination necessary for mastering motor skills.

Improving Cognitive Function

Outside play supports developing minds. Cognitive abilities are the mental processes involved in acquiring and processing knowledge, including critical thinking, attention, reasoning, and language. When your child explores an unfamiliar area, decides between two activities, and creates new games to play, they’re exercising their cognitive skills and becoming a better thinker.  

Creating Healthy Habits

The routines children experience growing up tend to stay with them through adulthood. By consistently encouraging your child to spend time outdoors and going out as a family, you’re stressing the importance of exercise and getting fresh air. This sets them up for a healthy, active lifestyle.

Children need teachers who emphasize physical, emotional, social, and academic skills. At Plainville Early Learning Center of Hartford County, CT, your child will gain a quality education from compassionate child care professionals in a safe environment. Their curriculum works to build confidence while nurturing early child development. For information about their toddler care, preschool, and programs, visit their website. Call (860) 747-3321 to schedule a tour or ask about enrollment.