The modern day definition of playing for many children these days are stuck in front of the laptop,

television,
game console or tablet devices. Game consoles more generally refer to video games that required connecting
to the television. Examples of game consoles are Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation and Nintendo Wii. While
there is doubted those tech gadgets can help young children in terms of their mental development and
dexterity, getting kids playing outdoors is beneficial too. A gadget is a small technological object that has a
certain function, but often thought of as unique. Examples of tech gadgets are smartphone, iPod, Samsung
Galaxy Tab, PlayStation and many more.

Playing outdoors is a form of exercise that encourages kids be well-being and healthy physical development.
Play outdoors can let them explore their environment, improve their muscle strength, and organization, and
also improves self-confidence. Playing vigorously outdoors also will increase flexibility, development of an
extensive collection of physical skills, as well as involved themselves in sports. Outdoor play should not
become too academic and too teachers and parents controlled.

2. Background Information

The growing of kids nowadays and back then is different. Kids nowadays spend indoors that wired to
technology while kids back then spend their time outside enjoying the nature. The huge majority of today’s kid
only stays indoors use a computer, watch TV, online or play video games on a daily basis. However, only about
10 per cent of kids spend their time outdoors every day, according to a new nationwide poll from The Nature
Conservancy. About 80 per cent of kids said that it is uncomfortable to play outdoors due to thing like bugs,
mosquitoes, and also the heat outside.

Then about 70 per cent of them said that they do not have transportation to go outdoors like natural areas.
Lastly about 63 per cent said there were no natural areas or nice places for them to play outdoors that near to
their houses. These days parents are so busy with their work and they do not have time to accompany or bring
their children go out and play. Our culture is taking outdoor play away from young children through excessive
of TV and computer use, unsafe neighborhoods, busy parents, elimination of school recess and academic
standards nowadays that push more and more developmentally inappropriate academics into our early
childhood programs, thus taking away their time to play and relax.
3. Benefits of Kids Playing Outdoors

3.1 Physical Benefits

Obesity is getting more and more these days because most of them are lazy to do exercise and
spend time outside, they prefer watching television, playing video games and online at home for the
whole day. Outdoor play also enables children to enjoy the natural environment and learn how to
seek out exercise, and fresh air. Children who learn to enjoy the outdoors activities have a much
higher likelihood of becoming adults who like to hiking, bicycling, mountain climbing and many more.
This is dangerous as obesity becomes an ever-greater national fear and as we must all learn to care
and protect the environment. By spending time in the sunshine playing, it can help their bodies to get
vitamin D to develop healthier bones and can reduce risk such as heart disease or high blood
pressure.

3.2 Mental and Emotional Benefits

Children these days have busy schedules with school and extracurricular activities and they
may experience stress and suffer from conditions like depression. Physical activities outdoors can
definitely help kids to reduce their stress and also can improve their mood. When kids are playing
outside, they are most likely running, jumping, yelling and laughing. Take a break to let kids playing
outside can increase focus of children while they are in the classroom.

3.3 Promotes leadership skills and encourage cooperative play

In the environment where children create the fun, natural leaders will arise. One child will
need to explain how to play the game, while another may enjoy setting up the physical challenge of
an outdoor obstacle course. While in a setting where there aren’t clear winners or losers, children
work together to meet a goal. The way they cooperate or work together to meet a desired result
helps them to increase their relationship. They may also learn how to share foods, toys and so on.

3.4 Cognitive Benefits

Playing can develops kid’s memory, thinking skills and ability to study. According to The
National Centre for physical development, playing can develop children’s gross motor skills, which
increases their ability to remember new information. Spending time outside can benefits children to
determine new things and make sense of the world around them when they are outside.

3.5 Social Benefits

When kids are playing outdoors with other kids, they are learning about relationships and how
to behave as a member of a group. Spending time outside can allow children to make new friends,
resolve conflict and express their feelings. They also will learn how to follow the rules and gain self-
control skills. For example, pushing each other on the swing, playing together in the sand, jumping
rope together and so on can develop social skills. Physical play, constructive play can also involve in
social play if it encourages the commitment of more than one child.

3.6 Natural Experience

Playing outside is vital to a child’s growth and their mental and physical development. When
playing outdoors, they can interact with the environment, the nature by climbing trees, lying on the
grass, digging in the sands, or play with the butterflies. By interact with the nature and also with the
other kids outside, it helps to motivate the curiosity and creativity of children and they also can learn
new thing of being outdoors. When they are playing outside, they can hear the sound of birds’
tweets, the bees breezing, the sound of the dried leaves and many more. Therefore, they also can
learn and know about how do caterpillar become butterflies, how do plants grow, how does mud feel
and smell like and so on.

4. Conclusion

Providing for the outdoor play needs of children is a complex and challenging task. Parents should
take some times to bring their children go out to enjoy the environment not just stuck in the house
playing games or watching TV. As a part of being child, they must have the chances of playing
outdoors. So that they can be healthier, become smarter, can enjoy the environment and have
memorable memories when they grow up.

Playing in the mud, making daisy chains and climbing trees are simple pleasures that have defined childhood
for generations.

But such youthful pursuits appear to be dying out as an increasing number of children play computer games
instead.

Researchers say dozens of outdoor activities that were almost universally enjoyed a generation ago are falling
out of favour.

A study found two thirds of today’s screen-addicted children had never made a daisy chain and more than 40
per cent had never squelched through mud.

A third had never risked the wrath of their parents by coming home soaked after staying out in the rain.

Playing in woodland, planting seeds and climbing trees were also among the pastimes that a large number of
modern youngsters had never tried.

According to the research, the average child spends just under five hours a week playing outside, less than half
the 11 hours their parents’ generation enjoyed.

These days, technology has provided our children with a multitude of electronic games and gadgets which,
while ideal entertainment for Winter and rainy days, can discourage children from the good old fashioned art
of simply playing outside.

This is a real shame because it almost seems as though today’s children are losing touch with the simple
delights of being out in the fresh air. Summer’s just around the corner and that means longer days and
warmer weather – perfect for outdoor play! Encouraging your children to play in your garden, or taking them
to a local park, is the perfect way to stimulate their imaginations and get them exercising at the same time.

Exercising through play helps your children’s muscle development and can improve co-ordination and motor
skills. Teaching your child to ride a bicycle or scooter is brilliant for their balance and also gives them
confidence. There are so many ways children can benefit from outdoor play.

Outdoor play can be a great learning tool. Ideas for imaginative learning based play include gathering
materials to use for a mini garden or collage, giving each child a matchbox and letting them fill it with as many
small things as they can find (which you can examine together), or more traditional games like I spy and hide
and seek. For younger children there are many ways to encourage them to learn such as trying to find
something of a particular colour, or using outdoor items such as leaves to help them with counting and
numbers.
Use an opportunity to develop something your children might be learning about in school, such as wildlife: for
example you could spot and identify wild birds. To help children with their alphabet and language skills why
not pick a letter of the alphabet and challenge them to spot things beginning with that letter.

If you live near, or can travel to, a beach, there are so many things to do and see, from watching tiny crabs and
other life in rock pools to collecting shells and pebbles and constructing sand castles. A beach is a completely
different world for children to explore and most children love spending time there. Just remember to apply
sun cream and take plenty of water to drink, particularly on hot days.

Even if you don’t have a garden of your own, there are plenty of parks you can take your children to, many
with play equipment such as slides and swings available, and you could even make a day of it with a group of
mums and their children. Playing with other children in the park is not only good for social skills but it’s a free
day out. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exploring the great outdoors with your
children!

Technology has provided the children with a multitude of electronic games and gadgets which can discourage

them from the good old fashioned art of simply playing outside. This is a real shame because it almost seems as

though today’s children are losing touch with the simple delights of being out in the fresh air.

Kids and youths nowadays and back then is different. Kids these days spend indoors using computer, watching

TV or playing video games on a daily basis while kids back then spend their time outside enjoying the

environment. These days parents are so busy with their work that’s why it makes them having no time to

accompany their children go out and play. According to a new nationwide poll from The Nature Conservancy,

"Only about 10 per cent of kids spend their time outdoors every day, and About 80 per cent of kids said that it is

uncomfortable to play outdoors due to thing like bugs, mosquitoes, and also the heat outside." (hedging part)