Outdoor time is critical for vision development which requires looking at long distances in order to mature.
Outdoor playtime is also critical for the creation of Vitamin D, an essential component for good health.
Cardiac strength is increased by playing outside. Running is only allowed outside.
The playground gives kids a chance for gross motor movement. This is the building block for critical thinking skills like sequencing and “making the connections” of events that happen frequently in the natural world.
From a social standpoint, organized games where cooperation is critical to success are more likely to occur outside.
Most importantly, children can scream and laugh without being told to use their “inside voice”. So, get your child “out there”! It does a body good!
Claudia
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