Take It Outside
Play is so important in Occupational Therapy Treatment, strong evidence supports play as a huge factor for health, development, and well being (Lester & Russell, 2010). We’re not just talking about playing on a soccer team, or participating in a group art class; we’re talking about intrinsically motivated play that’s child driven. It’s about how the child engages with others naturally and the experience of play as the driver of learning. It also shouldn’t stop at primary school.
Children today spend far less time outdoors than prior generations did. This is affecting children’s healthy sensory development, restricting movement opportunities.
Impacts of Less Play Time
Many teachers have reported decreased attention.
Posture is changing; Physical Therapists and Chiropractors are seeing preadolescent posturing with rounded curvature, and back problems. This may be due to different factors; limited core strength and back strength to keep body upright, kids are spending more time seated, which affects gait and posture, they’re also looking at screens more often.
Another thing teachers are reporting; kids falling out of chairs, clumsiness and bumping into other kids. Shedding light on possibly reduces body awareness and coordination.
Also, a rise in anxiety and depression.
There used to be more imaginative play, now it’s more structured, making it difficult to play outdoors, and access nature. Outdoor play is becoming more of a priority due to covid related limitations, and hopefully this opens new doors to making it more accessible for kids.
Why the Outdoors is Great
Nature is a great sensory experience; once you step outside, the wind is blowing, the sun, rain, or snow all stimulate different senses. Even reflecting on the ground; walking indoors is flat (predictable), outdoors the ground is uneven (unpredictable). Adjusting your body and how you process sensory stimulation is important for development. It allows for a calm but alert state for optimal organization of the sensory system. Even the environment is naturally calming; blue, green, brown in nature, which are scientifically proven to help feed at ease. Sounds typically played at a spa or are water, wind, things that calm us down. Some smells of trees will actually reduce cortisol levels in your brain, inducing calm. Being outdoors, constantly assessing your environment, creates a calming but alert state. Classrooms and clinics are typically filled with posters, many children in one place, and it may be disorganizing, this might provide some respite for children to learn. On average parents report 4-6 hours playing outside about 30 years ago, digging in dirt, playing with friends. Research shows that 48 mins is now the time for average outdoor play.
Biophysical Reactions to Play
Vestibular system: Research in the US says children sit 9 hours a day in a constant seated upright position (that’s Pre-pandemic). Children need to move frequently throughout the day to help move fluid in the inner ear, to stimulate the vestibular system; helping kids know their body in space. It makes them safer to have a well developed vestibular system. Climbing rocks or spinning shouldn’t be limited, it may reduce development and integration of the vestibular system. Behavioral optometrists support this; reporting movement helps with visual skills for reading and writing. It’s as if stimulation of the vestibular system turns the brain on for learning. Go upside down and climb trees, challenge the vestibular system to support activity regulation for learning in the classroom. Roll up and down the hills! Sledding! Mudslides! Tree climbing! Spinning/swings!
Proprioceptive system: This system is suffering for children when on devices. Resistance to joints and muscles are not being stimulated. This is how we develop understanding on how to hold a baby chick gently, use of appropriate pressure for writing, or playing tag without pushing too hard on other children. Shoveling, building dams, digging in dirt, carrying heavy buckets all give stimulation. Building fort is a favorite; kids love building a space for themselves.
Warning: This may not be natural at first. You may send your kids outside to play and the result may only be using the stick for digging, then coming back inside. But the next time they might realize they can write with the stick in dirt, and also use it for building a fort like they saw another kid did. This develops over time, but they may benefit from making it child driven, building on their ideas with increased creativity and using a different skill. Use the environment as inspiration, but allow the child to initiate play.
Additional Thoughts...
If a child relies on adults for ideas, it may result in not being an independent problem solver. Instead, allow the child to interact with others and get creative on their own for a more interactive play. Outside has a more full body engagement of the senses. Nature provides unpredictable sensory challenges to provide more learning and adaptability for changes in sensory experiences.
Children learn best through play; for social skills, emotional regulation. Child directed play allows for children to learn how to solve their own problems without help, and allows for socioemotional learning to build relationships. Let them dive deep into play; 20 minute recess doesn’t allow for it and there needs to be more opportunities for self-directed play.
Home Ideas: Promote outdoor play with setting up loose parts stones, tree cookies, bricks, fabric, logs, wood planks, gutters, pallets, baskets, egg crates, tires, dishware, tarps, buckets, junk in your basement, stainless steel bowls and plates, sleds, boxes, duct tape. How many parents have seen a child open a new toy, and play with the new box more? Let them be creative with a budget friendly option!
If you have additional questions or want to know more on how to implement more play, schedule a time for a free 30 minute consultation.
References:
Hanscom, A. (2016). Balanced and barefoot: How unrestricted outdoor play makes for strong, confident, and capable children. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Lester, S. and Russell, W. (2010). Children’s right to play: An examination of the importance of play in the lives of children worldwide. The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation
Mielonen, A., & Paterson, W. (2009). Developing literacy through play. Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 3 (1), 2009.
Savina, E. (2014). Does play promote self-regulation in children? Early Child Development and Care, 184:11, 1692-1705
Schunk, D. H. (1987). Peer models and children's behavioral change. Review of Educational Research, 57, 149-174. 3
The Therapeutic Benefits of Outdoor Play Recorded June 4, 2020 Presenter: Angela Hanscom, MOT, OTR/L OccupationalTherapy.com Course #4756