Embracing the Joys of Spring: Encouraging Kids to Get Outdoors and Play
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The weather gets warmer. The jackets get lighter. The days stretch a little longer.
And suddenly the backyard, park, sidewalk and playground start calling again.
For families with young children, spring doesn't have to mean creating an elaborate calendar of activities. Sometimes one of the best things we can give kids is surprisingly simple:
Open the door, turn on some music and let them play.
The science behind this: We looked at the research—not just the parenting headlines. The studies and expert sources behind this article are linked throughout so you can see the evidence for yourself.
Kids Are Supposed to Move
Running after a ball, riding a bike, jumping, climbing, dancing or inventing a game with absolutely no rules may look like ordinary childhood fun.
But all that movement matters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children ages 3–5 should be physically active throughout the day. Beginning at age 6, children and adolescents should get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.
And physical activity doesn't have to mean organized sports. The CDC encourages enjoyable activities ranging from walking, running and bicycling to playground activities and free play.
Outdoor Play Can Be More Than Exercise
One reason outdoor play is so interesting is that children aren't simply moving their bodies. They're constantly making decisions.
Can I climb that?
Where should our fort go?
Who gets to be the dragon?
How far can I kick this ball?
A systematic review of 16 studies involving children ages 2–12 found encouraging evidence linking nature play with physical activity and imaginative and dramatic play.
There is an important limitation: the researchers found considerable variation in the studies and rated the overall evidence as only moderate-to-satisfactory in several areas. In other words, we shouldn't claim that playing outside magically produces every developmental benefit sometimes attributed to it.
What the research does support is something parents can recognize intuitively: outdoor spaces can give children opportunities to move, explore and engage in imaginative play.
Take the Music Outside
And here's where outdoor play can become even more fun: bring the music with you.
Turn the backyard into a dance floor. March around the park. Kick a soccer ball to the beat. Make up movements to a song. Have a family dance contest. Or simply put on a children's playlist while the kids invent their own game.
Families who already listen to children's music from artists such as CoComelon, The Wiggles, The Kiboomers and Bounce Patrol can add Storybooksong to the mix.
Storybooksong creates children's music around the things we believe childhood should have more of: singing, reading, playing, imagining, learning and growing together.
Kick Off Spring With “Footballer Dog”
If you've got a little soccer fan at home, Storybooksong's “Footballer Dog” makes a natural soundtrack for getting outside with a ball.
You don't need drills, uniforms or even a goal. Put on the song, grab a ball and let your child decide what the game should be.
Maybe you're kicking between two trees. Maybe you're seeing who can keep the ball moving longest. Maybe you're making up a ridiculous victory dance every time somebody scores.
The objective isn't to create the next professional athlete. It's to make moving fun.
Try the 20-Minute Outside Challenge
Here's an easy Storybooksong challenge for your family.
Pick one afternoon and go outside for 20 minutes without planning every minute of it.
Bring a soccer ball. Bring sidewalk chalk. Take a walk. Look for bugs. Collect interesting leaves. Dance to a favorite song. Make up a race.
Or bring absolutely nothing.
Then ask your child:
“What should we do?”
That's the important part.
Parents sometimes feel as though every moment with a child needs an educational objective. Outdoor play doesn't need a worksheet attached to it to be worthwhile.
Let “I'm Bored” Hang Around for a Minute
You may even hear those dreaded words:
“I'm bored.”
That's okay.
Before producing another activity, give your child a little time to look around and come up with something.
A stick can become a magic wand. A rock can become buried treasure. A patch of grass can become a soccer stadium, dinosaur kingdom or imaginary restaurant.
Sometimes creativity begins in the little space between “I'm bored” and “I have an idea!”
This Spring, Keep It Simple
You don't need the perfect park.
You don't need expensive equipment.
You don't need to turn every afternoon into another lesson.
Sometimes childhood just needs room.
Room to run. Room to sing. Room to wonder. Room to invent something ridiculous. Room to get a little dirty.
So when the sun comes out, open the door, put on a song and ask:
“What should we do outside today?”
Then see where your child's imagination takes you.
And if you need more music for the adventure, listen to Storybooksong on Spotify.
Sources & Further Reading
CDC: Child Activity — An Overview
CDC: Making Physical Activity Part of a Child's Life
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