02 dez Summer break: 6 reasons to play outside with your children

The summer is coming and so is the daycare break. During this time of the year, some parents struggle to find the best way to spend quality time with the little ones. The important thing is: make sure your children spend plenty of time playing outside.

In a world filled with technology, the whole family tends to stay longer indoors. But that is not a problem if we also manage to find our way to the open air!

There are many reasons why outside activities can be a good and important thing for the toddlers. According to the primary care pediatrician Dr. Claire McCarthy, there are six main reasons why outdoors activities are a great deal for our children’s development:

1. Sunshine. Spending some time in the sun everyday will help our little ones get their vitamin D. The vitamin plays a crucial role in many body processes, from bone development to the immune system. It’s also important to keep a healthy sleep and better mood. But don’t forget that sun exposure and getting sunburns are not the same. Always bring sunscreen along!

2. Exercise. Getting outside to play is one way to make sure your toddler will be active while having fun. There are certainly ways to keep their bodies moving indoors, but being outdoors can be especially amusing during this time of the year and encouraging to active play, which is really the best exercise for children.

3. Appreciation of nature. At CC’s Eco Family Daycare the little ones are constantly stimulated to connect with nature. We understand that to create a sustainable and healthier future, we need to experience what the planet earth provides us. Walking in the woods, digging in soil, seeing animals in their habitat, climbing a mountain or playing in the water can create the connection to appreciate our nature.

4. Taking risks. As parents, we want our toddlers to be safe, but keeping them in bubbles won’t help. Children need to take some risks. Sure, they can break an arm from climbing a tree or feel sad when trying to make a friend and getting rejected. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try. Taking risks will make them build confidence, bravery and learn from their mistakes. Life is always risky!

5. Socialization. Playing outside can be a nice way to learn how to make friends, to share, cooperate and how to treat other people. It’s important to allow your little ones to interact with other children outside structured settings, such as school or sports teams.

6. Executive function. Outdoor activities can be a playful way to learn a lot of different skills: creativity, use their imagination to problem-solve and entertain themselves, plan, prioritize, troubleshoot, negotiate or multitask. They can always learn something from their time alone or with other children.

How to put it all into practice?
There are a lot of ways to enjoy your time outside with your toddler and, since we are talking about the summer, visiting the golden beaches can be a good place to start. You can also arrange a visit to the Zoo, meet your neighbors at the closest playground, do a backyard camping night or a water balloon game.

Maybe you prefer to spend the day visiting a new park with the whole family, especially if there is a picnic break included. You should check the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website to find the full list of nature destinations around Sydney to explore.

Before you leave, don’t forget to check any restrictions related to the COVID-19! Let’s keep our little ones active and safe.

CC’s Eco Family Daycare is a high-quality early childhood care and education center. We are based in Randwick, Sydney and we open Monday to Thursday from 07h30am to 5h30pm! Our daily routine is full of activities based on the principle that the child determines his/her own rhythm of learning. We believe that to teach children effectively you must touch their hearts long before you begin to teach their minds!