The joy of “outside”
Little Bean is 21 months now and at that fun age where being outside is better than a bag of candy. First thing in the morning he starts with “side? side?”. If that doesn’t work he brings me his shoes. Now that the mornings are colder I know he won’t be out for long before wanting to come back inside so I try to postpone our outdoor play until the sun has warmed our backyard. When I finally open the door he rushes out into the day and immediately begins to explore. Rocks, sticks, leaves and dirt are picked up and examined closely and, when he thinks I’m not looking, he may even attempt to get a taste of his treasures.
Moving their large muscles and burning off excess energy is very important for the health and growth of children. I can tell when my first grader hasn’t had any time to play outside during his school day. My younger two are crankier and restless and bored when they have not had adequate time outdoors. Many times a tantrum from my toddler can be stopped immediately with the suggestion of going outside to play.
So what’s a kid (and a mom!) to do when the weather does not allow for outdoor play? Get creative! Turn off the television and engaged your child in some aerobic activities. Do jumping jacks and run in place. Collect rocks on a nice day and put them away to paint on a rainy or cold day. Sit beside the window and play “I spy”. Draw pictures of the beach or use craft sand to make beach pictures. Play indoor hide and seek.
Keep those muscles moving and those minds busy and you can make it through a day or two of not being able to play outside. As soon as you can, get them out of the house and don’t let a beautiful day pass without some outdoor fun!
Leave a Reply