Free-Range Children
Photo courtesy of Justin Peterson (Unsplash)
As adults we all know that physical exercise is very important for our health and well-being. It keeps our heart and lungs healthy and strong, improves and maintains our muscle tone, and can elleviate stress and anxiety. A child will also benefit from exercise in a similar way. Let's first define what I mean by exercise when talking about children.
Exercise for a child is any kind of outdoor activity that safely increases their heart rate above normal for a defined period of time, and exerts their large muscle group, such as legs, arms, shoulders and core, beyond that which indoor play can do. It can be anything from running in the park, kicking a football around or playing tag with their friends or siblings. This physical exercise can also develop important skills such as coordination, catching and being able to direct their movements so that, for example, the football travels in a particular direction and speed without a loss of control. Being able to dribble with a football is a good example of this; the child is able to keep the ball moving and change direction when needed, all the while never losing control of it. Aside from the skills and muscle development, it gives them the opportunity to expel some of that boundless energy children are naturally bestowed with in bucketfuls. (Oh what it would to be young again!) As mentioned earlier, outdoor play also gives them the opportunity to release stress, frustration and anxiety, and can promote socialising, teamwork and concepts and rules such as sharing, taking turns and the 'rules of the game'.
In today's day and age of fear and mistrust of strangers, and parents having to juggle a career with family life, it can be difficult to find the time to take your children out as much as you’d like. You can't let them go out by themselves but when you encourage them to play in the garden they get bored quickly and you find them back inside, playing on the console, watching TV or arguing over who gets to play with that special toy first. Depending on their age range, if you decide to take them out you may have to pack the car or buggy with the usual supplies (I’d always advise walking if you can), then you have to get to your destination and allow a good amount of time for your children to burn off some of that energy, then you have to get home again and you will probably have to sort your children out with a snack of some sort or a meal. By the time you’ve done all that, you look at the clock and half the day has gone. All the while, those stealthy emails have been piling up, jumping over each other to be the first one to get your attention first.
Photo courtesy of James Lee (Unsplash)
Ok, so spending half the day at the park is not something every parent can do all the time because work aside, there are also household chores that will not go away. The remedy for this: children need a period of time every week when they can just run free, as it were, so work out a routine that fits in with you. It can be a period of time at the weekend, or a quiet Wednesday afternoon. Maybe you can fit an extra half an hour in just before you do the weekly shop. That way your children will not be so excitable as you search the aisles because their energy will not be over-flowing (although I suspect they’ll get a sudden surge of energy and excitement if you go anywhere near the sweets, cakes or biscuits aisle!).
Photo courtesy of Raffaelo Biazi (Unsplash)
Going to a play park is ideal for a broad range of ages because a good one will have lots of play equipment designed to promote certain muscle development and skills: the monkey bars will develop upper body strength and coordination, the climbing frame will develop arm and leg strength and coordination, and the 'balance beams/stumps' and other such equipment will help develop core muscle development as children strive to make their way across the obstacle course. And of course, it is likely other children will be using the play equipment so social etiquette will also come into play too. Of course, you don't have to go to a park in order to provide your children with physical exercise. If a lack of time or apparatus is an issue, think about the staples of outdoor play like a quick game of What's the Time, Mr. Wolf? Granny’s Footsteps or Stuck in the Mud.
Of the many things lockdown has done, it has forced us to use the limited facilities available to us; our own back gardens and for some, the streets or hills surrounding us. So why not consider a scoot or bike ride, or an obstacle course in your garden. Be as imaginative as you want, and adapt it to make it suitable for each age group. Make it a time trial, a race, or simply for fun! As always, whatever you decide to do you should ensure the activity is safe and suitable for each child. You could include things such as:
A running, skipping or hopping race. (Or how about an egg and spoon or three-legged race to make it more fun?)
Throwing balls or beanbags into a bucket. If you don't have any beanbags you can fill old or odd socks with rice or pasta, ensuring there is a tight knot at the top of the sock before handing them over to your children.
A play tunnel to crawl through.
A net to score goals in.
Hoops laid flat on the ground for children to jump from one end to the other.
Whatever time you can give, outside play is a great all-rounder that every parent should encourage because on top of everything else, it will help improve your child's behaviour as they have less of the energy that can make them irritable or mischievous at home. It will also tire them out so by the time it gets to the end of the day they will be more likely to want to go to sleep at bedtime.