In this article

• The daily habit is directly related to the development of the child in general
• It’s how playing and learning outdoors shapes a child’s future
• Outdoor Classroom Day: A Simple Way to Inculcate This Habit in Kids
• How to join the outdoor class day on October 12

As parents, the future of our children is in our hands. We are their first teachers, and responsible for teaching them the early habits that form the foundation of their mind, character and health.

With the advancement of scientific research in the field of child development, new findings have emerged to help parents. According to experts, while habits like daily reading and playing with building blocks are important in shaping a child’s development, it is one habit that no parent should ignore.

The daily habit is directly related to the development of the child in general

This may come as a surprise to many of us, but in today’s busy and chaotic world, this simple habit is often overlooked.

Child development experts have discovered that the habit of spending time learning and playing on a daily basis plays a huge role in children’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. They also found that a lack of time outdoors can have a detrimental effect on a child’s development and lead to the emergence of physical and emotional problems. Recent research has found that 56% of children globally play outside for an hour or less every day. This is very insufficient. The study further found that 56% of Indian parents themselves believe that their children have fewer opportunities to play as a child.

Celebrating and inspiring outdoor learning and play is Outdoor Classroom Day, where thousands of schools around the world take lessons and make play a priority on this day. Let us understand the important aspects of spending time outdoors for kids and you can join the Outdoor Classroom Day to help your child travel toward a happier future.

It’s how playing and learning outdoors shapes a child’s future

A decade or two ago, kids used to spend a lot of time outside the home, in the playground, in the parks, etc – both at school and after school. But today, outdoor play time has shrunk alarmingly. Children spend hour after hour in the classroom engaged in educational activities; Almost half of children in India do not have any playground in school. After school, children work for hours in front of the TV or computer. They are busy with internships, teaching classes and skill building workshops.

In the short term, all of these activities seem to be essential to prepare them for the competitive world, and the unbalanced time outdoors is slowly affecting children’s health and development.

Here are some of the important benefits of outdoor play for children, and why there is no alternative to having them:

1. Provides physical exercise

Spending time outside can help children get enough physical exercise which is important for their physical development. In the growing years, children learn muscle coordination, stamina and flexibility.

2. Builds immunity

Time outdoors exposes children to natural elements like sunlight and wind, as well as germs and other factors in the air. Many parents today are ashamed to send their children because of this fear – the fear of catching an infection. However, exposure helps build immunity in children and allows their bodies to learn how to fight off germs.

3. Exposes the brain to new stimuli

Did you know that 79% of children reported that playtime at school helps them focus in lessons? Experts attest to the same thing. External time exposes the brain to new stimuli and actually acts as a classroom! By spending time chasing butterflies, looking at trees, feeling the wind, collecting stones, etc., so that children can learn about the world around them. It helps make them aware of their surroundings, enhances memory and attention span, and also builds creativity.

4. Builds social skills

Experts note that many children struggle to make friends or express their feelings later in life. This can be traced back to the lack of time outside the home, which is a golden opportunity to socialize and spend time with other children of the same age.

Outdoor Classroom Day: A Simple Way to Inculcate This Habit in Kids

So, how do you inculcate outdoor time as a daily habit in kids? Getting kids off screens can become difficult and encourage them to spend active and lively time together. To make it easier, we recommend that you join Action for Children’s Environment (ACE), a great initiative by a non-governmental organization and charitable fund. ACE is organizing ‘Outdoor Class Day’ on Thursday, 12th October 2017 where children from all over India will take their lessons outside and come together to enjoy outdoor playtime! More than 111,978 children in India have already joined this initiative.

Outdoor Class Day is a global activity led by Project Dirt in partnership with Unilever Because Dirt Is Good. Last year, nearly half a million children from all over the world joined the movement. And guess what, about 92% of participating schools agreed that young people show higher participation when they teach abroad.

ACE Trust CEO Dr. Sudshna Chatterjee said: “We invite teachers, parents and anyone who cares about childhood to join the campaign on 12 October 2017. Whether he is encouraging his child’s school by stepping out of the classroom, experience the benefits. And

Isn’t this a great way to help kids? The best part is that it will help introduce children to the wonders of the natural world as well as help them see their studies in a whole new light.

How to join the outdoor class day on October 12

• Talk with your child’s teachers about the day of the outdoor classroom and tell them why you think the school should participate. You can always provide support; Your kids will love you too! You can register here.

• If you are also involved in children’s education, you can get involved and give your children a chance to experience learning abroad. You can conduct regular lessons for the day and supplement the lessons with extracurricular activities that allow children to experience different natural elements such as leaves, flowers, water, etc. Here are some fun outdoor activities for kids to get you started.

• You can make this a weekly activity for your kids. Once a week, encourage learning from the outdoors, whether that’s doing homework in the garden, working on a nature project, or just going for a nature walk.

Can you think of any other ideas to encourage kids to spend time outdoors? Tell us in the comments. Don’t forget to share your experiences with us if you and your kids are also celebrating the outdoor class day.