The Importance of Outdoor Practices for Children's Health and Development and for the Community

Abstract

Whether on the street, in a park, or in a forest, one of the most favorite places for children to be is the outdoors. Parents, teachers, community authorities, and the general public should be aware of how playing outside has so much potential, so many benefits, and can be so enjoyable for everyone. What makes the outdoors a unique context for children's health and development? How the community benefits from having their children playing out? First, the outdoors is an open environment where noisy voices, large, exuberant, and risky movements are allowed, which gives children a sense of joy and freedom of being and doing (Bilton, 2010; Sandseter, 2009). Such a big scale scenario also makes children move more, sit less, and play longer (Gray et al., 2015). While outdoors, children are exposed to sunlight, fresh air, and natural and living things, benefiting their health and development (Bilton, 2010; Dyment & Bell, 2008).