By Yixuan Zhu, Fanshawe College, Early Childhood Leadership. Yixuan wrote this during her Parents2Partners internship, where she worked to help children and families from every cultural background feel a sense of belonging.
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In an increasingly digital world, outdoor play matters more than ever. It supports children’s physical health and their cognitive, social, and emotional development, and it sparks creativity, problem solving, resilience, and wonder about nature. Here are practical ways to encourage it.
Create a safe, inviting space
Check outdoor areas regularly for hazards like sharp objects or poisonous plants. Offer age appropriate equipment and natural elements such as rocks, sand, and plants to engage the senses and imagination.
Allow unstructured play
Let children lead. Open ended materials like balls, blocks, art supplies, and costumes invite creativity. Avoid over structuring their time outside.
Be a role model
Join in. Show enthusiasm for nature and sports, and plan family outings to parks, trails, and playgrounds.
Allow reasonable risks
Climbing, balancing, and exploring build confidence. Set clear boundaries and supervise, balancing freedom with safety.
Play in every season
Teach sun safety and dressing for the weather, then let children jump in puddles, build snowmen, and collect fall leaves.
Encourage social play
Team games, fort building, and scavenger hunts build communication, collaboration, and empathy.
Set screen time limits
Reasonable limits on screens, paired with appealing outdoor options, make going outside the easy choice.
Seek out natural spaces
Parks, forests, and beaches offer rich sensory experiences, wildlife to observe, and room for imaginative play.
With a safe space, freedom to explore, and adults who model an active life, children can build a lifelong love of the outdoors.