We always hear about the benefits of outdoor play and we generally link those benefits with those warm, sunny days! However, outdoor play in the winter is just as beneficial and Summit 1st graders were able to experience those benefits today!
One reason winter play is important is that it allows them to see their world through a different lens. During the spring and summer, children become familiar with bright green foliage, flowers in bloom, and a warm climate. As the change in season, they come to see different characteristics in their environment, such as brown grass, fallen leaves, ice, and snow!
Playing outdoors in winter also promotes physical development and well-being. This is because outdoor play encourages the use of the whole body by offering a safe space to run, jump, and exercise key muscle groups. Often times, these gross motor muscles do not get used in the cold months so it is important to continue to build emerging skills that are crucial to physical development.
Outdoor activities also promote emotional health benefits, such as self-confidence, and the ability to assess risks. By encouraging outdoor play in the winter, children learn to identify hazards, such as slippery surfaces, and moderate their behavior to ensure their safety. Through wintery games, children learn to explore, work together, and find harmony in endless problem-solving opportunities.
Finally, playing outdoors with others encourages social development and collaboration. This is because play teaches children how to work together in groups, which includes learning to share, negotiate, and solve conflict. Social outdoor play also provides children the opportunity to exercise and stretch their imaginations. In winter, the physical changes to the outdoor environment provide children with new opportunities for dramatic play and winter-themed games.
