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Our technology crazed kids on average spend less than one hour outside. Most parents would agree that their children would rather enjoy screen time than enjoying the outdoors.
Babies as young as six months know how to swipe to view pictures on their parents’ cell phone. While technology has created innovative advancements in education, research, and overall accessibility to just about anything, it cannot replace human interaction.
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4 Reasons Why You Should Encourage More Outside Play
Teaches Social Skills
Do you remember the days when parents told you to stay outside until the street lights came on? I do!
Those were some of the best summers of my life!
The neighborhood kids got together to play kickball, tag or some other game that we collaboratively made up. If there was a disagreement, we worked it out. We learned how to fix problems, often without getting adults involved. Being around peers helps kids work things out together.
Fosters a Healthy Imagination
You’d be amazed at what your kids could do with sticks, rocks & other odds and ends they find outside.
My husband is a farmer, and we spend many days and evenings on the farm. I am always amazed by their ability to entertain each other for hours on end with no toys or technology. Sometimes they even involve the animals in their imaginative play!
Outside Play Keeps the Family in Shape
When was the last time you chased your kids around the yard? Were you out of breath afterward? Running around outside with your kids is natural exercise. Kids who spend time playing outside are generally more physically fit than their peers who spend hours watching tv or are glued to their devices.
Running around outside with your kids is a quick and easy way to fit in exercise without being a member at the gym. Kids who spend time playing outside are generally more physically fit than their peers who spend hours watching tv or are glued to their devices.
Encourages Quality Family Time
In a society where many children are raised in homes where both parents work, finding time to spend as a family can be difficult and expensive. Playing outside with your children is an easy way to have more one on one time together.
Spending time together can be as simple as kicking around a soccer play, picking flowers in a field, laying on a blanket and finding shapes in clouds or having a picnic with stuffed animals.
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Latest posts by Diedre Anthony (see all)
- How to Cope With Sending Your Child to a School That Isn’t Diverse - August 3, 2018
- Technology vs Outside Play: Why Imagination Should Win - May 29, 2017
- Teaching Diversity: Why Our Kids Need it Now More Than Ever - February 27, 2017
Yes we have to get a grip on this soon, and plan parameters for children with screen time. I understand we want our children to stay in “The Know” of the world of information I just feel like it should be at scheduled times….like when TV was when many of us were children (I was the imagination child still to this day) I encourage the importantance of imagination play with families I work with and that it should take center stage thanks for sharing ❤