Any activity or movement can be good for your child but it is better when it is outdoors. Activity outdoors is like turbo charging your child’s fitness. There are multiple physical benefits to outdoor exercise but there are also mental benefits. Some of the mental benefits can lead to children desiring to be more active. It is a positive cycle. The child gets the physical benefits of exercise and then feels better mentally so they pursue being active more often.
Being active outside is an advantage because there are more varieties of movement available. There is freedom outdoors. There is more space outdoors. Kids are not limited by walls or ceilings. The open spaces of the outdoors allows for more creativity of play and movement. Because of the increased freedom and creativity, playing outdoors is less monotonous and leads to kids enjoying being outside and being more active.
When being active outside the surfaces that kids run and jump on are not uniform so that creates different planting and landing surfaces for them when they run and jump. These different surfaces help kids learn to fine tune their limb and joint control. The different surfaces can be even more varied when kids get into the great outdoors and experience woods and trails. Running over roots and jumping over logs changes the dynamics of movement. The more stimuli we can give our kids bodies the better their coordination will be.
Sunshine can be the biggest gain that kids get from being outdoors. Sunshine is necessary for our health and mental well being. We all know that sunshine is important for Vitamin D production in our bodies. Vitamin D is an important nutrient for bone health but it is also used in multiple other systems in our bodies. Vitamin D also helps in the reduction of inflammation as well as modulation of such processes as cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and glucose metabolism. I think sunshine’s best benefit is the increase it has in serotonin! Studies show that sunlight stimulates the brain to make serotonin. Serotonin is also known as the “happy hormone”. Serotonin seems to play a role in increasing mood and causing a long lasting feeling of happiness. Multiple studies show that people who are outdoors more are happier and suffer less from anxiety and depression. Kids who are outside more learn that they are happier and start seeking to be outside even more. This cycle makes fitness that much easier.
Being active outside also improves kids’ sleep. When kids are outside the sunlight affects their circadian rhythm in a positive way. Multiple studies show that being outdoors leads to more and better sleep at night. Our bodies have a natural rhythm and if kids do not get an adequate amount of sunlight they may not sleep as well. Also, physical activity is proven to help sleep. Kids that are more active during the day are also better sleepers. So when you put activity together with being outside you can greatly improve sleep. Improved sleep is important for your childs fitness. Sleep gives our bodies time to rest and recuperate from our exercise therefore improving recovery.
Being active outdoors also connects us with nature. There seems to be something in us as humans that needs to be a part of the natural world. Science has shown that being outside helps us physically and mentally. Some of this improvement may be due to the chemical processes that were previously discussed but I think that there is something deeper that causes nature to have such a great effect on us. God made us in this world and I think to be fully human we need to be a part of the world.
If you are looking for ways to improve your child’s fitness then just look outside. It has been proven that kids are smarter, happier, more attentive and less anxious when playing outdoors. So find a place to get outdoors. That place may be your yard, a local park, a school, or in the woods. Next find the time and put it on your schedule so it will happen. Lastly, set an example and get out with your kids. It will help their fitness and yours.
