Why we love our kids to play outdoors
Mornings on the beach.
One of the great joys of parenthood are early mornings on the beach. Coffee in hand (recycled cup, please), we can watch as our kids are playing in the sand, running in and out of the gently breaking ocean, stimulated by nature. Kids enjoy the sensory engagement with sand and sea, figuring out the fundamentals of science and engineering without the need for a special STEM classroom. We observe teamwork lasting far longer than we would normally expect, often only interrupted when one of the big kids (i.e. parents) want to get in on the act, and complete the ‘perfect’ sandcastle.
Afternoons by the pool.
The backyard pool is another great learning environment; swimming, diving, ‘Marco Polo’, volleyball, and in-water acrobatics can last for hours. As parents, of course, we have to be particularly vigilant in this familiar environment. Phones down, please. And this vigilance needs to apply not only to ‘water safety’, but also ‘sun safety’. Longer than expected periods of activity in water can easily lead to under-application of sunscreen, and nasty sunburns.
The great outdoors.
Away from the water, children’s playgrounds and parks provide another great outdoor learning environment. They help develop coordination, muscle strength, and with kids developing social skills, be it creating rules for their own games, or learning to play by the rules of formal sport.
In Australia, we are blessed by having a great outdoor lifestyle. Camping, bush-walking, kayaking, fishing and boating are all wonderful learning activities. By protecting our kids from UV rays we can also help ensure that they will be able to enjoy watching their own children and grandchildren in the years to come.
Crazy Arms UPF 50+ arm sleeves are one way that helps protect kids as they enjoy the benefits of outdoor play. One small, fun, innovation that can help us all sleep well at night after a day of fun in the sun.
Our blog articles are based on our own experience and research. For expert advice, please contact a medical professional.