Outdoor Play is Essential
by Jennifer Landis
Just because the temperature is dropping outside and summer is over doesn’t mean that your outdoor fun has to come to an end. There are plenty of benefits to playing outside in the colder weather. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of outdoor play once the temperature starts falling.
The Importance of Vitamin D
Our body naturally produces Vitamin D, but it can’t do that without being exposed to the sunlight. We don’t get as much sunlight during the winter months as we do during the summer when we’re spending time outside, enjoying the warm weather. Not getting enough Vitamin D can even contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD — the particular brand of depression that only happens during the winter time.
Getting out into the sunlight for outdoor play, even if everything but your face is bundled up, can help you get enough Vitamin D to stay healthy. The amount of vitamin D your body can produce depends on where you live, the time of year and the type of skin you have.
Exercising
It’s tempting to hole up inside when it’s cold out just to avoid the low temperatures and the hassle of bundling your kids up in jackets that you know you’re going to end up carrying once they start running around. However, playing outside during the winter months is a great way to stay healthy.
If you live somewhere that you get snow, you might not even be able to keep your kids inside. Get outside, and once they start building snowmen or having snowball fights, you’ll have to drag them back inside. This isn’t a bad thing, though — staying active is a great way to keep kids healthy and stave off childhood obesity which is a big problem in the United States.
Learning Risk Assessment
Even if your kids are playing on the same playgrounds that they frequent during the summer months, winter weather changes the way that they play. Learning to navigate icy playgrounds is a great way to learn risk assessment — is it safe to walk across that bridge on the playground or do they need to find another way around? It might take a few trials and errors — and a few bruised knees — but once they get the hang of it, it’s a skill that will carry them throughout life.
Keep in mind that outdoor play playground equipment needs to stay safe during every season even when you want your kids to learn about risk assessment. Always make sure your little ones are playing on equipment that’s designed for all seasons.
Fueling Their Imagination
There’s a reason they call it a winter wonderland — snow and ice transform the landscape into something truly spectacular, and getting outside to play is a great way to spark their your kids’ imagination. Their favorite playground becomes a stunning ice castle during the winter. You might feel surprised at the stories that they come up with just because their play places have some snow.
Getting Some Fresh Air
Cabin Fever isn’t just a song sung by Muppets while they look for Treasure Island — it’s a real thing, and you might end up with a case of it yourself if you decide to stay inside all winter. Make it a point to get outdoor play every day and get some fresh air. You’ll feel happier for it — you won’t end up at each other’s throats with cabin fever like you will if you stay indoors.
Gaining a New Perspective
You can teach your children about the four seasons until you’re blue in the face, but that doesn’t mean they really understand what you mean. Getting outside during the colder months allows you to help them gain a new perspective on their neighborhood and other local areas. Head outside during the summer and enjoy the flowers and warm weather, then go out during the fall and watch the leaves change. Once fall is over, and the snow starts to fall, head outside again and take a closer look at how the world has changed.
Finally, once the weather starts to warm up, you can leave the house during the spring months and watch the world come to life again. Take the time to look out for new flowers and plants that are peeking up from the snow and the cold ground. It’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the cycle of life and how the seeds are dropped during the fall and stay dormant through the winter to bloom again once the weather gets warmer.
Get Outside This Winter
Don’t stay inside all winter just because the weather is getting cooler. There are plenty of benefits to playing outside in the cold that you’ll never see if you only play during warmer months. Just make sure that you stay warm and hydrate while you’re outdoors. Get out and enjoy the cold weather before it’s gone again — you might find yourself happier and healthier for it.
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Jennifer Landis is the woman behind Mindfulness Mama, where you will find a combination of articles on all of the things I know and enjoy like healthy food, yoga, exercise, and parenting. Follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Faceboo