Children are an endless source of energy and creativity. Regardless of their age, they love to run, play outside in nature and discover as many things as possible. One way to encourage this passion for the environment is to take the little ones out to play in the woods.
Here are some benefits that forest activities bring to your child:
They feel more comfortable in the presence of the unpredictable
By playing in the woods and being surrounded by natural phenomena, children become more accustomed to change and learn to accept it more easily.
Also, by spending time in the forest and observing flora and fauna of this ecosystem, the little ones become more exposed to the small risks that appear in the everyday life and are no longer scared of them. By spending time outside, in the forest, it is easier for children to accept different situations that take them by surprise, their behavior being modeled in an assertive way.
Whether it is an unexpected rain or meeting small animals along the way, children learn to accept the situations they did not expect and to form their own adaptation mechanisms.
Playing in nature lowers anxiety
Because nature is constantly changing, children always have new things to learn. For this reason, they never get bored and have new subjects to learn and observe. This helps children who are experiencing anxiety problems, as nature is a very good sedative.
Moreover, the fresh air together with the sounds of nature soothe the little ones and help them be more relaxed.
It helps alleviate attention deficit
Attention deficit disorder is becoming more common in both adults and children. However, it can be decreased by spending time in nature. The little ones can train their attention by observing the processes and things around them, and the forest is the perfect place where children can do this type of exercise.
Improves creativity
The forest is the ideal place to stimulate children’s imagination because all the elements that the little ones can play with are “open-end”. Being an open space with many elements that give free rein to the imagination, children can imagine various play scenarios, from adventure and discovery games to quieter games such as observing the processes around them.
Thus, depending on each child’s personality, children have an endless source of resources to stimulate their imagination.
Encourages the child to love nature
Last but not least, one of the things that play in the forest encourages is the little ones’ love for nature. By being exposed to this environment, the little ones learn to be kind to the environment, appreciate the things it offers, and protect them.
By seeing the connection between animals, plants, and humans, children learn that they play an important role in the ecosystem of which they are a part of and that their care is reflected in the environment.
These are just some benefits that playing in the woods brings to children and to their development. Do you encourage playing in the woods? What other benefits do you think it brings to the little ones?
