5 Developmental Benefits of Outdoor Play

When children play outside during the early years, they get a chance to explore their physical and cognitive capabilities without the restrictions of indoor play. As they play, they’ll learn about themselves, other children, and the world around them, while learning and mastering new motor and language skills.

  1. outdoor play encourages physical health and an active lifestyle in children

  2. outdoor play supports children's motor skills by enhancing their coordination, balance, and agility

  3. collaborative outdoor play helps children learn relational play and social skills

  4. outdoor play promotes self-awareness by teaching children to be observant, assess and manage risks, and use reasoning skills

  5. outdoor play offers children the opportunity to learn new words and concepts for what they are experiencing

Written in Collaboration with Emily McCue, MS OTR, Owner of Sticks and Sprouts

Previous
Previous

An Anti-bias Guide to Including Holidays in Early Childhood Education and Intervention

Next
Next

The 3R’s of Learning