But here’s something you may not have heard about in the argument for keeping recess. Outdoor play–and specifically, recess–helps our kids eyesight. I know! Wow, right?

On the website All About Vision, they quote several studies that found all sorts of interesting results. Here are a few quotes I found particularly interesting:

The researchers calculated a 2 percent drop in the risk of developing myopia for each additional hour children spend outdoors per week. “This is equivalent to an 18 percent reduction for every additional hour of exposure per day,” they said.

Compared with children with normal eyesight or farsightedness, children with myopia spent an average of 3.7 fewer hours per week outside.

In other words, more time outside means you’re increasing your child’s chance they WON’T need glasses. Think of all the money you’ll save!

In favour of recess:

The study authors concluded that outdoor activities during recess in elementary school have a significant protective effect on myopia risk among children that are not yet nearsighted and reduce the progression of myopia among nearsighted schoolchildren.

The 12-year-old children who spent more time outdoors had less myopia at the end of the two-year study period than others in the study.

There you have it.

Let’s get outside and play! What do we do in the Oram household? Well, first of all we got a dog. Why? Because not only does it teach our kids empathy and responsibility for others, but our dog gets us outside daily. We walk the dog, the kids ride their bikes alongside or walk too. It’s great exercise for all of us!

The brain is better able to pay attention, hold things in memory, and show self-control after it has been outdoors.
–Gabrielle Principe, Your Brain on Childhood

Getting a dog isn’t your thing? It doesn’t have to be complicated or strenuous. How about these simple activities that will get you outdoors:

9 Ways To Get Outside as a Family

Watch the Sunrise / Sunset
Does the world seem different at this time of day? What colors do you see in the sky?

Find Cloud Animals
Lie on your back and look at the clouds—whoa! Is that a giraffe?

Draw on the Sidewalk with Chalk

Try and Catch Your Shadow
Can you catch it?

Water Fights

Ring Toss

Make your own rings out of plastic container lids. Then shove a stick into the ground to toss them onto!

Hopscotch

Play Catch

Eat Outside

Picnic, BBQ, simply taking your meal out on the deck–it’s still outdoors and you’ll still get the benefits of being out in nature. Both for your soul and your eyesight.

Thanks for playing! See you next time. And if you need more activity ideas don’t forget to check out my book, 1,001 Boredom Busting Play Ideas. It’s reasonably priced so everyone can play.

How to Entertain a Toddler (Toddler Play)

Have you ever been sucked in to all those ‘educational’ and ‘developmental’ programs that are ‘beneficial’ for toddlers? (Don’t worry, I have on occasion.)

This morning I had a moment. While my son and I took our puppy out for a walk I recalled why playing outside is so beneficial for kids. Not only does playing outdoors reduce the incidence of childhood depression and anxiety, it encourages physical activity, is naturally sensory, and so much more.

Lately, trucks have resumed working on the soccer pitch just beyond our house. All day, these big trucks (“Trucks! Trucks! Trucks!”) drive by with dirt. And down the road there are bulldozers grinding and chugging away. There is ACTION!

So, during our walk we paused to watch the trucks (just like yesterday) although this time we went over where we could see them dumping their loads of dirt. We saw bulldozers. We saw stuff. We felt the earth rumble. We heard the trucks grind past. We heard the clunk of their bucket doors slam shut. We felt the soft breeze as we stumbled through the soft snow. We smelt the exhaust from the trucks and the fresh dirt and melting snow. We saw life. We saw real stuff. First hand.

And we chatted and interacted.

“Look at the trucks. They are dumping the dirt over there so the bulldozer can spread it out.”

“Trucks!”

“It sure is muddy over there. We’ll have to walk the dog somewhere else for awhile.”

“Trucks!”

“Yes, those are big trucks, aren’t they? And lots of them!”

“Trucks!”

I literally had to carry him away when we started to get chilled.

And while it is common for others to convince us that we need so many amazing things and need to spend money to raise healthy kids who will succeed in this world, sometimes we need to step back and live real life. In the here and now–right outside our front doors. Because that is where the world is. The real world where our kids will be living.

What’s outside your front door these days? Any good toddler play out there? (Or for other ages?)

Play outdoors.

Moms are being arrested for allowing their children do something highly beneficial for their development–something we took for granted as kids.

What is it?

Playing outdoors unsupervised.

As an example, there’s Tammy Cooper of Texas who was arrested for letting her kids play outside in their cul de sac, and there’s the mom who allowed her kids (aged 7 & 11) to walk the half mile to the pizza shop as well as many reports of well-meaning busybodies hauling school-aged children home because their parents were letting them play unsupervised in the neighbourhood playground.

Why is this happening? How is it that we used to play and roam neighbourhoods as kids, but now, in less than a 30-year span of time, unsupervised play is being treated as a criminal activity?

The world has become a very small place. We hear about a child being abducted–even if it is on a whole other continent with a whole different set of people in a whole different society–and we lock down. We feel as though this is happening in our very own backyard and that it could happen to us. We feel as if we know these people.

Where do those feelings of fear come from? Part of it comes from the media. We hear about every crime against children. As well, it seems as though the only time children make an appearance on a television drama is because something BAD is about to happen to them. Seeing and hearing about these heart-wrenching traumas taps into the primal part of our brain that tucks away potential dangers so we can avoid them in the future. The problem is, that part of the brain sees and hears these very real feeling traumas and it doesn’t realize that this is not an immediate, real danger lurking in our own back yard. It can’t tell the difference.

So, we end up living in more fear even though the crime rate is lower (assaults against children dropped 74% between 1993 and 2004) than when we were kids and roaming the world (unsupervised) on our bikes.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

(Other than making an outdoor play infographic. Jump to it now.)

How can we be the change?

First, by realizing that the world is not as scary as the newcasters would like us to believe. It is their job to present stories that will create a palpable reaction from us, the CONSUMER.

Second, by realizing not only how vital and important outdoor play is for our children, but also how important unsupervised outdoor play is. It’s not just important. It is VITAL. Yes, VITAL with capital letters.

Third, by letting our kids out to play unsupervised. The more we let our kids out to roam, the more likely our neighbours will be to follow suit. And the more kids that are out there, the safer it is going to be–safety in numbers–and the more that other neighbourhood kids are going to come out. We create a new cycle.

Fourth, by spreading the word about the value of outdoor play and unsupervised play.

The infographic below is based on research done on play and expresses the foundational aspects of how outdoor play is intrinsically important for the healthy development of our children.

By sharing this infographic we will share this message: Children need to play outdoors unsupervised. It is healthy and normal and parents should not be arrested for allowing their children to play outdoors.

You can spread the word by using the code (below) to embed this infographic in your site, by pinning it, or by tweeting, Facebooking it, emailing it, etc.. It is free to share. (If you choose to share it, drop me a comment and I’ll help share your post, article, or site.)

[message type=”info”]Copy and Paste this code to embed this outdoor play infographic on your site:

<a href=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Outdoor_Play_Infographic.jpg”/><img src=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Outdoor_Play_Infographic.jpg” alt=”Outdoor_Play title=”OutdoorPlayInfographic” /></a><br /><a href=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/unsupervised-outdoor-play-infographic” style=”text-align:left;” align=”left”>Source: https://itsallkidsplay.ca/unsupervised-outdoor-play-infographic</a>[/message]

A Bit About the Outdoor Play Infographic:

The Value of Unsupervised Play:

Unsupervised play leads to many skills as well as helps children reach many developmental milestones. One of the biggest things unsupervised play does for kids is foster independence. Kids who play without adult supervision have to solve their own issues. Everything from ‘Do I put my coat on in this weather?’ to ‘Do I ignore this kid teasing me or resolve it by talking to him?’

When kids feel independent it leads to pride and confidence. Hey, I just got that kid to stop teasing me and now we’re playing tag! This is awesome. They’ve just solved a problem. And how they have solved this problem goes into their problem-solving repertoire–i.e. their brain just made a ton of new neural connections which will continue to help them throughout the rest of their life. By solving their own problems children also develop their own personal resiliency. They learn that they can not only take care of themselves, but they can also solve their own problems. If an adult was present in the above situation chances are pretty good that the adult would have stepped in and solved the problem, not benefiting either child long-term.

The Value of Outdoor Play:

Outdoor play is sensory. With the rise in concerns that our children are being stunted in terms of sensory development, playing outdoors is part of the answer. Every outdoor play experience is sensory and provides sensory input in a nonthreatening, nonoverstimulating, and natural way.

The benefits of outdoor play are so multifaceted and complex you could write a book about it. In fact, Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, did. Some of the things he found in his research was that playing outdoors reduces anxiety and depression, both sadly on the rise as well as linked to not playing outdoors. As well, children who play outdoors are more likely to rate higher on a scale of feelings of self-worth. (And have two times the friends as kids who do not play outdoors?)

Kids who play outside are less likely to be obese. Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past thirty years and statistics suggest that one in every three children is obese. (Your child is 500,000 times more likely to become obese than to be abducted.) Outdoor play is naturally active and is one of the best ways to reduce obesity.

Food for thought: The rise of organized kids sports (where kids spend a fair amount of time waiting for their turn or listening to their coach) has increased at approximately the same time as childhood obesity. (Electronics use has also increased during that time period and unsupervised, unstructured outdoor play has decreased.)

By the way, kids who play outdoors and on irregular play surfaces (not a smooth soccer pitch) have greater motor fitness including balance and coordination.

On the intellectual end of the spectrum, outdoor play has been linked to a reduction of ADHD type symptoms and increases the ability for kids (and adults) to concentrate, pay attention, and even score higher grades in school. In fact, recess is linked to better classroom behaviours.

Kids were meant to move. Their natural playground is the great outdoors. This is how the brain has developed over the millennium. And if there is one thing I know it’s that we can’t outsmart nature.

Shareable. Spread the word. Outdoor play should not be criminalized.

[message type=”info”]Copy and Paste this code to embed this outdoor play infographic on your site:

<a href=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Outdoor_Play_Infographic.jpg”/><img src=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Outdoor_Play_Infographic.jpg” alt=”Outdoor_Play title=”OutdoorPlayInfographic” /></a><br /><a href=”https://itsallkidsplay.ca/unsupervised-outdoor-play-infographic” style=”text-align:left;” align=”left”>Source: https://itsallkidsplay.ca/unsupervised-outdoor-play-infographic</a>[/message]

Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. The disorder can be detected in individuals, families, and communities. Nature-deficit can even change human behavior in cities, which could ultimately affect their design, since long-standing studies show a relationship between the absence or inaccessibility of parks and open space with increased crime rates, depression, and other urban maladies.

–Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods

Send your kids out to play.

It’s a scary world out there. It’s scary because we aren’t letting our kids, as a general rule, play, explore, and discover that outdoor world. And to me, the lack of kids roaming out there is scary. (Crime rates are down since we were kids, so the world is actually less scary if we look outside our heads and at the stats.)

Crime rates are down, so why aren’t we letting our kids roam the neighbourhood?

Because we are scared.

Why aren’t our kids playing outside even when we encourage it?

Because they don’t know how. (Or because there is nobody else out there to play with–that breaks my heart. Let the kids out to play!)

We need to train our kids HOW to play outdoors.

If we’ve kept our kids indoors for the first few years of their lives (51% of preschool-aged children are taken outdoors to play on a daily basis) and suddenly decide to boot them outside to go play all day, it isn’t going to work.

Why not?

Because we haven’t trained them to play outdoors. We haven’t trained them that being outdoors is good, normal, fun, and something that should be done with regularity.

Think of it this way. Say a person has never read a book. They’ve seen a book and have been told it is good, but they don’t know how to read. They haven’t personally experienced the joy of a good book. We aren’t going to plop them down with a book one day and expect them to learn how to read on their own, get into it, and read the afternoon away are we? Nope, we are going to slowly build a reader by exposing them to it over and over again, make it fun, and increase the amount of time with each exposure. It’s the same with playing outdoors. We have to build up to hours of independent play.

Let me tell you a story…

In our neighbourhood there is a playground. There is also a playground about a kilometre to the south-west and another to the south-east. The playground next door is always teeming with kids. The other two playgrounds? Whenever we go to them we are the only ones there. Why is that?

Here’s how it may have happened…

We’ve live right next door to the teeming playground, but it wasn’t always that way. Years ago, whenever our daughter would come in saying there was nobody to play with in the park we’d said, “Go find someone.”

And she did. Repeatedly. She’d go to all the girls in the neighbourhood (luckily quite a few) and knock on their door. “Do you want to play in the park?” No luck? On to the next house. She’d keep going until she found someone. (And if we sent her farther than a few blocks, we’d send her with a walkie-talkie.)

And when our daughter sees others playing in the park, she runs out and joins them. (And since they have someone to play with, they play out there for longer.) Over time, the kids have created a community of ‘knock on my door and I’ll come play outside with you.’ As a result, the playground is always teeming with kids.

Last night, an unusually warm evening (also a school night, I should note), the playground had kids from at least half a dozen families playing out there until the streetlights came on.

We can do this. We can make our kids outdoor play people. On Thursday I’m going to share an infographic that shows the value and benefits of children playing outdoors. Stay tuned, you won’t want to miss it.

In the meantime here are some things you can do to help get your kids playing outside. You might just find yourself in the midst of a neighbourhood hub of play!

How To Get Your Kids to Play Outdoors

• Regular access. Boot them out regularly. Try for 3 times a week. If they come in after 5 minutes, no big deal. Frequent, short outdoor play times will probably be more successful in the beginning.

• Prime their play reservoir with outdoor play ideas. Ideas may include an outdoor scavenger hunt, building a fairy house, digging up potatoes, walking to get the mail, walking the dog, going to the store to buy milk, seeing how fast they can ride their bike around the block, or building a fort (in the hedge, etc.–it doesn’t have to be fancy).

• Tell them stories and teach them the games and things you used to play outside. Ideas: Grounders, HORSE, Hopscotch, Capture the Flag, variations of Tag, making cat eyes with their shadow, and other great outdoor play ideas.

• Slowly extend their boundaries. This makes it interesting for them and may motivate them to go outside more.

• Make it a family activity. Go out as a family and point out interesting things in a conversational way. Walk, play, explore. Show them it’s okay to be curious.

• Meet up with an outdoor play partner. Got an outdoorsy kid in your neighbourhood? Invite them over. See if it wears off or inspires your child to play outdoors more.

• Proper clothing. Kids who are going to play outdoors in the winter, for example, need snowpants and good boots so they are comfortable and warm. The year I bought my 3-year-old crappy boots was the year when she never seemed to want to play out in the snow. Coincidence? Nope. I learned my lesson.

• Outdoor Toys. If your kids aren’t quite at the point where they snatch the berries off the hedge to draw on the sidewalk, consider buying or making your own sidewalk chalk. As well, things like a soccer ball, bubble wands, and other simple outdoor play items might help get them outside those initial few times. (Evil plan: Make the new toys only outdoor play toys.)

• Make it easy. A bin of outdoor toys at the front door. An open invitation to play in the yard, and other ways to make it ‘easy’ for your kids to choose to play outside. Something to try: leave the door to the backyard wide open on a nice day.

• Make them an offer they can’t refuse. If you play outside for half an hour you can… (fill in the blank) OR Do you want to clean your room or play outside?

• Make it electrical. If your kids feel lost without electronics, send them outside with it whether it is a camera, iPod, or video game. Sit them under a tree. Whether they realize it or not, they are sucking in some of the benefits of being outdoors and in nature. Over time you may find that they set aside the electronics and just sit and enjoy. Or play.

And that’s what it’s all about… enjoying the outdoors. Create some good habits and see you out there!

Share your outdoor play experiences in the comment section below. I’d love to hear about them.

Go on a nature anomaly hunt. Can you find weird stuff?

What is a Nature Anomaly?

Nature anomalies are something strange or different that occurs in nature–it’s not quite normal. Things like the dandelion pictured above that has several stems and dandelion heads all grown together. Another, more common example would be a four-leaf clover. Maybe two leaves that share a stem. A bird’s egg that is paler or smaller than the rest in the nest. A cat with an extra toe.

How to Find an Anomaly in Nature

Finding an anomaly can be difficult because they are fairly rare. But taking your kids out for a hike and asking them to keep an eye out for something odd or strange can give them a goal or purpose to their walk. Plus, you might just be amazed at what they find that is different and unique. And yes, they may get completely and utterly distracted, but that’s okay! It’s normal and they may just find something else that completely enthralls them.

Have you ever found a four leaf clover or other nature anomaly?

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Can your kids find a nature anomaly? http://t.co/5YpVZQr0

— Jean Oram (@KidsPlay) August 14, 2012

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P.S. Don’t forget about the It’s All Kid’s Play newsletter for more great fun play ideas.