I have always loved the outdoors. I grew up on a farm, where my sisters and I would often explore for whole days at a time, building cubby houses, picking blackberries and swimming in the creek.

Surfing and camping in the Australian outback are two of my all-time favourite pastimes, even if I have fewer opportunities for them as a husband and dad than I did as a bachelor.

Squish loves the outdoors too. Now ten months old, our daughter thrives on nature play. The amazing thing is that we didn’t have to teach Elsa to enjoy the sound of birds, the breeze on her face, or the feeling of grass between her toes — she was born loving it.

We first noticed this almost by accident.

Calming

My wife Angie has been a childcare worker for more than a decade, so she has developed a broad set of skills to help manage young children’s behaviour and regulate their emotions. So, from Elsa’s earliest days, we got into the habit of walking out on to our porch with her any time she was more than a little upset.

Here’s what we discovered: She calmed down immediately. Without fail. Every time.

It’s a discovery that has made me more attentive now when we take Squish outdoors for any reason. The same calming effect washes over her. She tunes in to the sights, sounds, feelings and textures and her mood is always lifted.

I am convinced that a love of the outdoors is innate in every child. It doesn’t need to be taught, but if it isn’t nurtured, it can fade fast and be crowded out by all of the artificial environments we have created in the modern world.

Of course, I am deeply thankful for modern conveniences like air conditioning, running water, soft carpets and disposable nappies — all of which make parenting exponentially easier than any time in history. And the reality is that, with a baby as young as Squish, we still spend much more time indoors than outdoors.

However, outdoor play is such a treat for her, so we are always looking for excuses to get her out in the elements, where she is in her element.

Better Sleep

And here’s a free tip: if you want to make sure your baby is genuinely tired for their nap or bedtime, don’t stay indoors for their entire awake window. Get outside. Get some sun and wind and their skin, and their minds and bodies exploring in ways they cannot inside the home. All of these natural stimuli help children’s circadian rhythm, setting them up for a much better sleep than if they spend all their time indoors.

In an article entitled ‘Do You Know How Outdoor Play Can Improve Children’s Sleep?’ Emma Homan writes:

Research has shown that moderate to vigorous physical activity in child care settings increased from 1% indoors to as much as 17% outdoors. In short, getting out into the playground gets children moving more, leading to more endorphin production and consequently a better night’s sleep.

A study at Liverpool John Moores University found that babies sleep longer when they are exposed to plenty of natural light in the afternoon…

The researchers think that the stimulus of light is what helps babies to establish their circadian rhythms, cycles influenced by hormones, light and dark, which set body clocks in humans, sooner.

She adds:

Circadian rhythms promote daytime alertness and help bring on sleepiness at night time. The same theory applies to children and adults and it’s one of the reasons why spending more time outdoors is recommended to help ensure a good night’s sleep for all of us.

Spending time outside in nature is soothing and seems to have its own way of comforting children. It can offer cognitive benefits, take away stress and foster a sense of release or a haven for children who might be feeling the pressure whether from school, family, or peers.

Research has found that children who suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can gain significant relief from their symptoms and can concentrate better if they spend some time outdoors.

So long as you avoid hazards like choking, insect bites and sunburn, there really are no downsides to spending ample time with your child outdoors. It benefits their physical health, their mental wellbeing, their cognitive development, their connection with creation, and even their academic performance.

As a former primary school teacher who taught in a school with a high Indigenous population, I can attest to all of the above. There was nothing my students loved more than lessons spent exploring up in ‘the scrub’.

So, make screen time the exception and dirt the norm — and get outside with your kids!

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Image courtesy of Unsplash.