It’s the cold season, but after spending most of 2020 indoors due to COVID-19 quarantines, you and your kids might both feel a bit stir-crazy. There’s exciting news — you and your little ones can still get outdoors to play.
Children have an innate need to explore the world around them. Snow makes a perfect toy — please don’t keep them from reveling in it. Here’s why we should encourage outdoor play, even in winter.
1. It Provides Phytoncide Exposure
What are phytoncides? They sound dreadful, but in reality, they do humans a world of good. These substances are natural chemicals produced by plants that defend them against predators, but they also boost immunity when you get outside and inhale them.
Research published in the National Institutes of Health followed Japanese people who participated in forest-bathing, or shinrin-yoku. Those who took part increased their levels of natural killer cells, a type of immune cell that fights infection. The effects lasted for up to 30 days, so take your family hiking once a month.
2. It Reduces Exposure to Indoor Germs
Germs spread more quickly indoors because everybody breathes the same air, keeping those pathogens circulating in an enclosed space. By letting your kids play outside, you reduce their exposure to bacteria and viruses that can make them sick.
Plus, snow is the ideal toy for adding unique twists to traditional games. Play a tag variation where you can only step in other people’s footprints or dodgeball with snowballs. Of course, you could always make it like “Frozen” and sing, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”
3. It Increases Vitamin D Levels
Did you know vitamin D isn’t a nutrient at all — it’s a hormone? Your body produces it naturally, but you have to go outside and soak up the sun first.
Your need for sunlight to boost your vitamin D levels is another reason you should encourage outdoor play in the winter. Deficiencies in it lead to increased susceptibility to infection and developing autoimmune diseases.
4. It Encourages Active Play
Your children need physical activity for bone and muscular development. You also want to do your part to prevent childhood obesity. Over 18% of American children already meet this qualification, and the pounds don’t become easier to shed as you age.
Going outside encourages active play — especially in the winter. Keeping moving gets your little one’s blood circulating, which makes them feel warmer. There are so many hills to climb with a sled in tow that they’ll build strong legs.
5. It Provides a Mood Boost
Have you ever noticed that you feel better after going for a brisk walk outside? Exercise provides part of the equation, but exposure to natural sunlight also helps boost your mood.
Human beings are diurnal animals by nature. Part of our evolutionary course involved the release of energizing hormones when the sun rises. Exposure to sunlight boosts your serotonin production levels, a critical neurotransmitter for making you feel happy and content.
6. It Builds Social Skills
Until the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, it’s wise to avoid indoor playdates. However, going without any social interaction with peers their age can make your child feel lonely. The resulting stress can lead to unwanted behavioral outbursts, but even if your little one puts on a brave face, they aren’t immune from the pressure of isolation.
However, many leading experts agree that outdoor gatherings pose fewer risks than your average indoor holiday party. While you still want to wear masks and maintain social distancing, you can at least let your kids play with their peers when you head to the park or green belt.
7. It Encourages Motor Coordination
Little kids need to run, skip and jump to develop the requisite motor coordination to do so without falling. While you might take such skills for granted, they are serious endeavors for tiny tots.
Your toddler can develop hand-eye coordination by climbing on low-strung rope ladders at the park. They can overcome their fear of heights on the kiddie slide and get a better sense of their body weight and what it can do on the see-saw.
8. It’s Healthy for Parents, Too
Guess what, moms and dads? The perks of encouraging outdoor play in the winter don’t stop with your child. They apply to you, too.
When was the last time you made a snow angel? Make doing so a winter mindfulness activity by focusing on how the surface feels under your body and the cold, tingly sensations on your skin.
All the goodness of vitamin D and phytoncides help you, too. After all, it’s pretty challenging to take care of your family when you’re down with the flu — show your immune system some love.
Please Encourage Outdoor Play — Even in Winter
Colder weather doesn’t make cabin fever inevitable for families. Now that you know why we should encourage outdoor play even in winter, get out there and have a (snow) ball!
