The great outdoors are beautiful and full of possibilities and should be one of your kids’ main playgrounds. Whether they’re camping or just running around outdoors with friends, letting your kids play outside offers multiple benefits to their health and youth development. Below are some of the biggest benefits that spending time outdoors will offer your children.

Why Playing Outside Is Beneficial for Children

1. Get Sunlight

Sunlight is the body's main source of vitamin D, which is responsible for helping the absorption of calcium, regulating nerve signals, and boosting the immune system. Sunlight also regulates the sleeping cycle. Spending more time playing outside will help your children stick to a natural schedule, as the sunlight will energize them during the day and help them wind down when it gets dark.

2. Promote Exercise

The outdoors encourage exercise and physical activity. There’s room to run, places to explore, trails to hike, and games to play. Being stuck inside limits the amount they can move around, but being outside gives them almost free reign without disrupting your day or breaking items in the house. 

3. Encourage Independence, Curiosity, & Innovation

Unstructured play in the outdoors will allow them to make their own decisions, teach them to trust themselves, stimulate their curiosity, and stretch their imagination and cognitive skills by thinking of new games and adventures. They’ll also develop social skills by playing with friends in an outdoor environment, learning about cooperation, trust, teamwork, and communication.

4. Gain Better Eyesight

Spending time in the sunlight may also boost your children’s eye health. A study conducted in 2012 found that the more time children spent outdoors, the less likely they were to develop myopia or experience worsening of it if already present. However, children should not stare at the sun or leave their eyes unprotected from UV rays.

5. Learn About Survival & Nature

Youth development programs and activities that focus on outdoor skills ensure your child gets enough sunlight while also learning about the world around them. Camping events, wilderness training courses, and fishing trips will teach your child about different plants and animals. They’ll also teach them survival skills like how to prepare and eat fish, what plants are edible and which ones aren’t, how to build a fire, how to set up a tent, and how to identify animal tracks. These are useful skills in case they ever get lost or become an avid outdoors fan when they’re older.

Are you searching for a program for your child that will offer outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and exploring? The Boy Scouts of America - Conquistador Council in Roswell, NM, offers these benefits. From wilderness training to rappelling and kayaking, they let your child have exciting experiences while learning about teamwork, selflessness, integrity, hard work, and various career paths. Learn more about their camping and activities online, and call (575) 622-3461 to register your child today.