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With the clocks going back and the days growing shorter, it can be harder to get the kids outside for fresh air and exercise. Still, research has shown there are many benefits to playing outside. Not only does it promote curiosity, creativity and critical thinking, but it may also decrease anger and aggressive behaviour.
“When kids are outside, they move more, they sit less and they play longer,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, a Senior Scientist with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the President of Outdoor Play Canada.
“It’s more physical activity, it’s more muscle contractions, it’s more energy expenditure,” he continues. “It’s more interaction with nature, the environment and perhaps other kids. That helps to develop problem-solving skills and develops executive function.”
He adds that getting outside can also lead to things like improved cholesterol levels, improved blood pressure, improved body composition, and better fitness, cardio and respiratory functions. There are also many positive associations between outdoor play and mental health.
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“It can reduce stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression, and improve resiliency,” he says. “There’s not much outdoor play isn’t good for, for most people, in most circumstances.”
Tremblay adds that a big factor for parents to consider this upcoming winter season is that playing outside keeps kids better protected from communicable diseases than indoor play.
“When you’re outside air dissipates and germs dissipate,” he explains. “We get sick in the winter because we are inside and close to other people and germs.”
As a parent of four, Tremblay believes that most discretionary time should be spent outdoors. He encourages children to play and interact with nature and to use items already in the environment (like leaves, branches, rocks etc.) for imaginative play.
To foster imaginative play while encouraging your kids to get outside, consider adding these toys and tools to your household.
Headlamps
Flashlights are fun, but headlamps are key when it comes to keeping children’s hands free while playing outside during those darker fall and winter hours. They’re great for going on nature walks or while roaming the neighbourhood to scope out the best decorated houses. They also allow kids to safely play for longer in the backyard as it grows dark out, and they let you easily keep track of their whereabouts from inside, too.
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Binoculars
Encourage kids to explore outside and look for scavenger hunt items faster with a kid-friendly set of binoculars. They’re great to play with in the backyard and can help spark imaginative play, but they’re also handy the next time the family heads out for a hike or plays at the park.
Kids Rakes and Shovels
Fall and winter come with lots of leaves and snow, which means you’ll probably be spending some time outdoors tending to your property. Encourage kids to get out there and help with their own set of tools. Turning chores into a game may help inspire new games or creative activities, too.
These sturdy shovels are great for helping shovel the sidewalk and when the snow melts, you can take them to the beach too.
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Scavenger Hunt Kit
If you want to set up a scavenger hunt for your kids, there are plenty of free downloads available online. However, sometimes a kit can make things a little more fun and interactive. This one from Melissa & Doug comes with a timer, more than 80 double-sided cards, and two giant totes to collect said items.
Fort Building Kits
As kids wait for that coveted, packing-snow weather, help them create the forts of their dreams sooner with an outdoor-friendly kit. Bonus points if it glows in the dark, like this STEM set does. It comes with 130 glow-in-the-dark pieces that make it the ideal kit to use during the darker winter months, encouraging kids to build — and hang out — outside after dinner.
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Glow Sticks
There’s no party like a glow stick party. So why not crank some tunes and head outside after dinner for a little family dance party in the dark? Glow sticks are also great for walks at dusk or while enjoying a couple of minutes at the park. Break some out and let your kids do their own thing, too.
Bike Wheel Lights
If your kids love riding their bikes but you want to make them a little more visible when the sun sets sooner, add some LED lights to their wheels and watch them light up. You can grab some in an array of colours and kids will love how they glow the faster the go.
Snow Scooters
Kids love to boot around on bikes and scooters, but once the snow comes it’s a little difficult to do either. Enter snow scooters, which kids can use to glide around to their hearts’ content. Take them to the tobogganing hill or have them glide around the backyard; either way they’ll have fun with these new transportation tools.
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Glow-in-the-Dark Jump Ropes
Jumping rope is always a fun outdoor activity, but when it gets dark out, why not extend the fun with a glow-in-the-dark or light-up rope? Kids can have fun watching the colours light up the dark sky around them, plus they can use the ropes to make obstacle courses or other things from their imaginations.
If your kids love bubbles but you find that your regular bubble solution isn’t lasting in the colder air, consider adding ice bubbles to your outdoor toy box. Crazy Ice Bubbles are made from a thicker solution that lasts in extremely cold temperatures, although some reviewers warn the solution is thick and sticky, so be careful when blowing!
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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