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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : February 5, 2019 3:30 PM IST
Make sure your kids spend at least 60 minutes playing outside ©Shutterstock
As kids, most of us, if not all, have spent our evenings, vacations and holidays outdoors. Playing games like langdi, lagori, skipping, hide and seek, cycling, running, skipping was a way of life for many of us. Many young parents observe that the kids of today, however, don t play outside as much we did. Between PUBG and other online games, indoor play areas in malls, social media apps and online video streaming and their school and tuitions, they hardly get any time or inclination to play outside. But did you know that playing outdoor games can help your kids ward off dangerous diseases and conditions? Celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar who is focusing her popular annual 12-week fitness project on kids health also says that parents must send their kids to play outside for at least 60 minutes a day even at the cost of their tuitions. Studies worldwide have shown that if kids don t play outside, they could be afflicted by a number of diseases.
Dullness and boredom: A research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health shows that risky outdoor play is not only good for children's health but also encourages creativity, social skills and resilience. Children who participated in physical activity such as climbing and jumping, rough and tumble play and exploring alone, displayed greater physical and social health, the results showed. Playgrounds with natural elements such as trees and plants, changes in height have positive impacts on health, behaviour and social development of children.
Stress: The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) has said that play is a very important way for kids to hone their social and mental skills, fend off stress and build a healthy bond with parents. According to researchers, the benefits of play help mitigate stress, improve academic skills and help to build a safe, stable and nurturing relationships. The report has been published in the journal Pediatrics.
Poor eyesight: According to experts, lack of exposure natural light is the key behind rises cases of myopia among kids. The main factor seems to be a lack of exposure to direct sunlight, because children who study a lot and who use computers or smartphones or tablet computers a lot have less opportunity to run around outside and are less exposed to sunshine," Annegret Dahlmann-Noor, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, was quoted as saying to BBC Health. Spending two hours a day outdoors can help protect against short-sightedness in children.
Poor academic performance and obesity: Children who focus more on physical activities, especially outdoor games, will have improved academic successes and reduced obesity level at an early age, new research says. The findings showed that the physical activity levels of children are continuing to fall well short of recommended levels, which can harm their health as well as academic attainment. They are spending far more time in front of the screens than the maximum recommendation of only two hours a day, which needs to be reduced, the study said.
Anger issues: Children who spend significant amounts of time playing outside were found to have a stronger sense of purpose, peacefulness and spiritual connection to the earth, a study published in the Journal of the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture said. It was found that children who spent five to 10 hours a week playing outside were found to demonstrate strong imaginations, creativity, and curiosity, as well as a deep appreciation for nature s beauty, whether it be lush green bushes, water patterns or a fascination with bees nests, researchers noted.
Mood disorders: A walk in the woods is likely to improve kids moods, a team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong revealed. The study said that children who developed a closer connection with nature had less distress, less hyperactivity and had a healthy lifestyle with regard to active play and eating habits. They also had fewer behavioural and emotional difficulties, as well as improved pro-social behaviour.
With inputs from IANS
