NATURAL BENEFITS

Playing outdoors is great for kids in many unexpected ways. Nature Play program manager Hyahno Moser tells us five of them:

1. Academic performance Today’s parents often want their children to be able to read, write and add numbers before they even start school but they’re neglecting the fact outdoor free play cultivates curiosity and wonder. It increases kids’ ability to engage in the arts, science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

2. Improves sleep According to a recent study, longer screen time is greatly associated with shorter nocturnal sleep duration among children aged two to five. That same study found kids who had more outdoor playtime were less likely to wake at night. Exposure to sunlight helps regulate sleep patterns, and physical activity helps children fall asleep faster and get better sleep.

3. Increases happiness Researchers at the University of British Columbia have reported the decline in outdoor play and the rise in overprotective parenting were taking a toll on children’s psychopathology. If we give our kids time and freedom outdoors, say the experts, we’ll see a dramatic shift in their stress levels, selfesteem, self-regulation and overall happiness.

4. Reduces ADHD

In 2001, University of Illinois researchers found children with ADHD functioned better than usual after activities in green settings and that the “greener’’ a child’s play area, the less severe his or her attention deficit symptoms.

5. Decreases bullying

At Swanson School in Auckland, New Zealand, it’s not uncommon to see students hanging from trees, playing with construction site materials or climbing up the slide instead of using it the “proper” way. This school threw out the rule book and embraced the idea of children engaging in self-directed play with more freedom. One of the positive results was fewer kids being sent to the office at recess and fewer complaints of bullying.