Outdoor play is essential to children’s development and well-being, aiding their physical, emotional, social and cognitive growth.
Outdoor time also helps children sleep better and lifts their mood. In addition, research demonstrates that children who spend more time outside tend to be happier, feel relaxed and be better at communicating with others.
Social Interaction
Interacting with others helps people form bonds, build trusting relationships and learn new things – skills which are integral for children’s social development and essential to helping them become successful adults.
Children develop social skills when playing with other kids in group settings such as the playground or school or by watching how adults interact.
Outdoor Play in East Kilbride Nurseries
Children who engage with nature or outdoors often enjoy improved health and more significant social connections than those who spend most of their time indoors, tending to perform better academically and enjoy school more, getting married, having children or both more readily.
Studies have also demonstrated that those living near parks are more likely to engage in outdoor play, possibly due to parents’ perceptions regarding social cohesion in their neighbourhood and safety for their children.
Children often have access to large and well-equipped outdoor areas but don’t always use them enough. This could be for various reasons – fear of accidents and diseases being among them – so ensuring all necessary equipment for safe outdoor play (for instance, wearing clothing suitable for different weather conditions) is crucial in combatting anxieties associated with them.
Physical Activity
Physical activity is integral to child development and should form part of every nursery program. Not only will physical activity benefit their physical well-being, but it will also have positive results for their mental well-being and learning.
Outdoor play can be an effective way to engage children’s physical movement at East Kilbride nurseries, whether that means participating in various games or simply walking through a local park. Studies have revealed that many children become far more physically active outside than inside.
At its heart lies an engaging nursery environment for your cared-for children – frequently, this is why parents choose this path in the first place!
Recent inspections discovered that the environment wasn’t up to par, and many games children played did not provide clear rewards or incentives, including one where children had to search for their ball in a pond or mud pit.
Staff was also keenly aware that the best way to keep children safe and happy was to remain actively engaged in play at all times, identifying age-appropriate games with each child participating in them – such as climbing, riding bikes or telling a tale in an outdoor mud kitchen! It was wonderful seeing the staff take this approach!
Creativity
Creativity is an integral component of development for children. It helps them think critically about the world they inhabit, communicate their thoughts and feelings freely, and practice physical and social skills through creative activities such as painting, music making, dancing and crafting.
Children benefit greatly when allowed the freedom of engaging in creative play, as they gain many essential life-skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and independence.
Creative play is essential in nurturing children’s imagination and creativity, providing an opportunity to experiment with new things while exploring their environment.
Children need the freedom of playtime outside, as this will allow them to explore their creativity and amuse themselves. Furthermore, this time will enable them to develop social skills as they will interact with other children safely in a supportive and stimulating environment.
Encourage creativity outdoors by following these simple but effective guidelines. First, ensure that the outdoor play area is accessible for children, with plenty of room for playing.
Second, ensure the play equipment is well maintained and clean to allow children to use it safely for extended periods. This will give them peace of mind that their kids can play safely with it for years.
Don’t forget to provide children with an array of materials ranging from fabric and cardboard boxes to recycled objects for them to work with.
Ensure your children have access to a box of loose parts to use natural items, like acorns, pine cones, sticks and stones, for their creative construction projects.
Independence
The East Kilbride Nursery environment allows children to enjoy playing thanks to a large outdoor play area frequently visited by both children and their parents. Children at this location have access to outdoor play equipment explicitly tailored to their individual needs, from large to medium and small play spaces designed to meet them.
Children often spend up to half of their day playing in nursery gardens there, and this allows them to be free from restrictions such as building boundaries. Outdoor spaces are great places for engaging in all manner of activities, such as games, arts and crafts projects, problem-solving challenges and much more. What makes outdoor activities even better is their interactive nature which creates fun memories for all involved while providing a chance for childcare providers to showcase their expertise.
Communication
At East Kilbride Nurseries the staff understand the significance of outdoor play in developing children, so throughout each day, we offer access to nature for outdoor play activities that promote learning, such as: Communication is essential in outdoor play and can be achieved in various ways, such as staff working closely with these children in this environment where learning occurs through hands-on experiences.