Outside, on the other hand, kids tend to open up a bit more and they’ll make their own rules, invent games, move around more than usual, and ultimately feel very free. So let’s take a look at why kids thrive with outdoor play spaces. 

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Room To Move And Explore 

The most obvious thing is that outdoor spaces just naturally encourage children to move around, and they can run, climb, balance, explore, and anything else they want to do, usually without needing much prompting and encouragement about it. 

This is great because it’s the kind of physical activity that lets kids burn off energy, but it also helps when it comes to coordination and confidence - they’ll learn what they can do, and they’ll test their limits in a safe way. 

Imagination Comes More Easily 

Outside there’s a lot less structure, and that means there’s a lot more space and time for imagination - anything outside can become anything the child wants it to be, and there aren’t any limits. They can spend many happy hours just playing with sticks or pine cones or stones or just running around, and they’re not going to need any expensive equipment or instructions to do it - they just will. 

Of course, adding a few extra features can help inspire some creativity, and looking at treehouse ideas that can help you create extra play areas, for example, can give children a place that feels special and boosts their imagination even more. 

Time Away From Screens 

Outdoor play also provides a natural break from screens because when children are engaged in physical activities, they’re not going to be focused on their devices, and that’s going to be the right balance to help improve mood and encourage more play. 

And the best part is that even short periods of time outside can make a big difference - although the more time outside, the better in most cases, so try not to discourage it if they want to spend longer out there than you’d planned. 

Building Confidence 

Something else to bear in mind when it comes to outdoor spaces is that there’ll usually be some challenges to overcome. The children might need to climb something, for example, or balance on something, or they might need to get across uneven ground, and so on. 

These are all fantastic because they’ll help to build up the child’s confidence when they’re faced with a problem that they have to work out how to overcome. And they’ll learn independence, especially when they’ve got a place that’s safe for them to explore as much as they want. 

Social Interaction 

If siblings or friends are involved, then outdoor play can do even more - it can encourage teamwork. Kids create games together, work out the rules, and share the space, and these kinds of interactions can help to boost a child’s communication skills, which is always going to be a useful thing. 

And because everyone’s outside, everyone should easily be able to join in.