Exploring the Importance of Outdoor Games for Children's Wellbeing

This essay examines the crucial role of outdoor play in children's development and well-being. It begins by highlighting the prevalence of children's preference for outdoor games and introduces various activities. The discussion section explores the lack of outdoor play in schools, emphasizing the erosion of physical education and the benefits associated with outdoor games, including physical and mental development, cognitive growth, and socio-emotional outcomes. The essay supports its arguments using three sources: Wong's work on children's right to play, the simplified UN convention on the rights of children, and Ernst's research on preferences for outdoor play. These sources provide evidence for the positive impacts of outdoor activities on physical fitness, cognitive abilities, and emotional capabilities, concluding with a call for increased support for children's outdoor play.

Children outdoor play
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Introduction
Generally, most of the times our children prefer outdoor games but they depend on the help of
ideas for them to play outdoor games in society (Dinkel et al., 2019). We have different activities
or games which have been categorized as part of outdoor games. Some of the outdoor games for
children include the rainbow tag, the backyard obstacle course, yard twister the hula blockers and
the hula hoop game among others.
Capture the flag outdoor game (Dinkel et al., 2019).
The paper will discuss the issue of outdoor games for children through the use of three sources
selected from the UN charter on children rights on access to outdoor games.
Discussion
Different researchers have indicated that most of the children tend to lack outdoor games in
society. Most of the studies indicate that there is a lack of outdoor games for children and this
has affected the youth a lot. In the USA most of the schools have concentrated more on
curriculum leaving inadequate time for outdoor games of the students. This shows that there are
less physical exercises for children. The erosion of physical education in schools is also a major
Couse of less recess time for outdoor games for children (Ernst, 2018). We have schools which

don't even at any cost encourage the outdoor plays since this is seen as a time wastage activity
but in a real sense, it's more beneficial.
Why there is a need for outdoor games in schools?
Basically, everything in schools has a benefit either academic issues or physical concepts in
school. The benefits of outdoor games are associated with development level both mentally and
physically. This means that outdoor games for children are the main source of health and mental
growth. Those children who do spend their time in outdoor games in school or even at home will
tend to perform better as compared to those who don't participate in any outdoor games. In
simple words, outdoor games have been associated with physical development, mental growth,
cognitive, health and youth development (Ernst, 2018).
The outdoor games are associated with physical fitness and other health concerns such as
obesity. The current world is in huge problem since most of the children are prone to health
hazards such as obesity. Findings from different authors show that play for children determines
the health effects of the children.
In addition outdoor games for children improve on cognitive development. This means that plays
and any other thing that will help children to pass time accounts for the issue of intellectual
development. Different authors such as Vygotsky have fully linked the concept of outdoor games
with the entire cognitive base. Outdoor games help children to learn from the environment, boost
their competencies and mental development.
On another hand, outdoor games account for Socio emotional outcomes for children. Different
scholars have discussed how play contributes to emotional and social skills in society. This

means that outdoor games will help the children to protect emotional regulations and other
related skills.
I addition outdoor games contribute to the mental health of children. Generally, the play has the
ability to reduce anxiety and depression to our children. The more the children are exposed to the
environment the more they have improved mental capabilities (Ernst, 2018).
The sources used to advocate for outdoor activity.
In order to handle this section, the paper has utilized three resources which accounts for the
concept of outdoor games by children.
Targeted audience
The targeted individuals are the parents, children and other individuals who supports the outdoor
games
The articles were posted in the social media and received positive feedback form the audience
targeted.
Explanation on sources used.
The sources used in the discussion include;
 Wong, K. (2014). Advocating the Child's Right to Play–The Hong Kong Experience. IN
ASIA-PAcIfIc, 7, 39-78.
 The simplified version of the UN convention on the rights of children.
 Ernst, J. (2018). Exploring Young Children's and Parents' Preferences for Outdoor Play
Settings and Affinity toward Nature. International Journal of Early Childhood
Environmental Education, 5(2), 30-45.

From the three sources identified above, the following are some of the arguments which supports
the concept of outdoor activities.
The first source accounts for the work of Wong, K. on the article advocating the Child's Right to
Play–The Hong Kong Experience. IN ASIA-Pacific, 39. The article indicates the play conditions
of the children including the outdoor games, the play resources needed, the play space needed
and playmates needed in the games (Fran et al., 2011).Wong shows that there is a need to respect
the rights of children and also fulfill those children's rights to play thus enjoying themselves. In
order to all these, Wong gives some concepts which show how the aspect of outdoor games for
children can be handled.
There is a need to understand the play. This raises the question of what is play. Having this
question as to the common drive then it means the entire society will focus on enhancing outdoor
games. Children always play for their sake, they may not see the importance of the games at
early stages but as time goes on they become prominent individuals. I addition, the author of the
article describes how we can encourage our children to participate in outdoor games. There are
those strategies that will help in receiving a change in children outdoor games. This stories may
include creating more playing grounds in society to support outdoor games (Fran et al.,
2011).Also, empowering adults to provide an appropriate environment for outdoor playing forms
a basis of encouraging on new activities, The last strategy advocated by the article is the
inspiring all entities in society on the importance of inspiring outdoor-accepting culture for the
society.
The other source is based on the simplified version of the UN convention on the rights of
children.

The source advocates for the rights of children in society as outlined in UN charter on some of
the rules which supports the children include;
First, the organization needs to ensure that children should work on what is already to their best.
This suggests that allowing outdoor games will help children exercise their rights. In addition,
the source indicates that children have rights to participate in outdoor games and therefore we
should not deter them to be part of outdoor games.
UN children rights (Fran et al., 2011).
The last source is Exploring Young Children's and Parents' Preferences for Outdoor Play Settings
and Affinity toward Nature. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education,
5(2), 30-45. The article was published Ernst, J. (2018). The arguments presented in the article
fully supports the work of Ernst, J. (2018). The article outlines some of the positive impacts
which are associated with outdoor games. Just as outlined in the first part of the paper, the article
addresses how outdoor activities enhance physical fitness. Also, it explains issues related to
cognitively and emotional capabilities. Physically children use their muscles making them strong
while through motion there is resilience and emotion (Jiayao et al., 2016).

Children in outdoor games (Jiayao et al., 2016).
In conclusion, the source discussed above accounts for the positive impacts of outdoor games for
children. All the feedback obtained from the sources can be used to improve the issue of outdoor
games for children.

References
Dinkel, D., Snyder, K., Patterson, T., Warehime, S., Kuhn, M., & Wisneski, D. (2019). An
exploration of infant and toddler unstructured outdoor play. European Early Childhood
Education Research Journal, 1-15.
Ernst, J. (2018). Exploring Young Children's and Parents' Preferences for Outdoor Play Settings
and Affinity toward Nature. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental
Education, 5(2), 30-45.
Fran P. Mainella, Joel R. Agate, Brianna S. Clark (2011) .Outdoor-based play and reconnection
to nature: A neglected pathway to positive youth development. Journal of Leisure
Research, 7(67),67.
Jiayao Li , Linda L. Hestenes , Yudan C. Wang (2016). Links Between Preschool Children’s
Social Skills and Observed Pretend Play in Outdoor Childcare Environments. Journal of
leisure ,6(67),89-178.