Early Intervention and Outdoor Time for Kids

Here is Massachusetts we have had a very mild winter!  Currently, on February 1, there is no snow on the ground, and it is 50 degrees outside.  This is very unusual for us, since last year at this time it was 20 degrees, and there was over three feet of snow on the ground.  What a difference!  The best news is that we can still be outdoors in the mild weather, and we can take our children to the playground, for a walk in the woods, or out to toss a ball or Frisbee.

One thing we know about kids is that they love to play outdoors, and here in New England most children love to play no matter what the weather, and no matter what kind of precipitation is happening outside.  For children, they have that sense of wonder and excitement at the falling snow, and the mounds of white that pile up to be jumped in, rolled in, tunneled through.  Kids naturally love to be out in the winter wonderland and enjoying the bracing cold.  Sledding, ice skating, skiing are all fun activities, as are snow fort building, snowman construction, snowball fights and making snow angels.

 

As parents, it is important to follow your kid’s lead, and help them embrace the joy of being outdoors.  If you can, make sure they have the right clothing, hats, jackets, boots and gloves to be able to stay warm and frolic in the snow, and enjoy the fun difference that snow and cold weather bring.  Encourage them to be outdoors with their siblings, family, and friends.

Early Intervention is part of the early childhood development movement that seeks to help children grown and develop in all areas - physically, socially, cognitively, creatively, and emotionally.  And we know that children learn and develop through play.  Another reason to support and encourage kids to get outdoors and play is that this multisensory stimulation is wonderful for the development of their brains.  Children’s brains are growing at a tremendous rate, and the outdoor environment is one of the most healthy places for all those connections in the brain circuitry to be developed and strengthened.  Feeling the cold air, seeing the snow or trees or birds or squirrels, yelling and laughing with family and friends, working their bodies to build and run and roll; these are all vital elements of a child’s development.  So we're helping kids to grow as we're having a blast with them outdoors!

And yes, this year we have the added benefit of a mild winter, so boots, snow pants, snow hats and gloves are less necessary.  But it is still important to get our kids outside to allow the wonders of nature to naturally help our children to grow and develop.

Michael S. Hutton-Woodland, Ph.D.