It’s Spring and we are enthusiastic about Outdoor Play!

It’s exciting to see the first tender blossoms of Spring emerging after a long winter. Take a breath of fresh air and enjoy some outdoor time with your young ones… it’s good for you:

“The act of play is a crucial component in the growth and development of the brain, body and intellect. Studies of how young people learn have proven, that children, especially, acquire knowledge experientially, through play, experimentation, exploration and discovery. It is important to understand that many of the fundamental tasks that children must achieve, such as, exploring, risk-taking, fine and gross motor development and the absorption of vast amounts of basic knowledge, can be most effectively learned though outdoor play.”

Outdoor Play allows children to:

  • Reduce stress, fear, anxiety, and irritability
  • Increase joy, intimacy, self-esteem
  • Make choices and options
  • Teach relationships built on inclusion rather than exclusions
  • Improve non-verbal skills and increase attention and attachment
  • Improve gross motor exploration Increase balance and flexibility
  • Increase the efficiency of immune, heart and endocrine systems
  • Strengthen immune system and overall physical health**

So, take a walk, ride a bike, play hop-scotch and let the wide open sky feed your mind and body. Happy Spring!

Check in on our FacebookInstagramTwitter, and other social media outlets to get a sneak peek at how we’re enjoying our outdoor spaces this Spring!


*UMKC School of Education’s Edgar L. and Rheta A. Berkley Child and Family Development Center
**Early Headstart National Resouce Center, 2013, Supporting Outdoor Play and Exploration for Infant and Toddler. Retrieved from: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-systems/ehsnrc/ docs/ehs-ta-paper14-outdoor-play.pdf