×
×
homepage logo
STORE

The benefits of outdoor play

By Staff | Jun 28, 2021

To the editor:

Outdoor play is essential for children. The time children spend outside can have a profound effect on their brain for time spent inside.

Nature has ways of capturing our attention–a cool breeze blowing across our face. This type of attention is called involuntary attention. Time spent in involuntary attention may be giving our voluntary attention an important time of rest. Voluntary attention helps us with tasks that make us focus on what we are doing, like problem solving. Some research suggests that simply looking out a window can have some of the same refreshing effects as being outdoors.

You can also bring the outdoors inside.

Help children collect natural materials to observe, draw, sort and count. Save these items for a rainy day activity. The reality is, outside matters, and children need time outside to be ready to learn inside.

Karen Davis

Labelle