The Importance of Play and Nature-Based Play Spaces for Children's Health and Development

    It is very important for children to play and interact with other children. It can be structured or unstructured play. Structured play is organized by adults at a specific time and place, for example the school soccer field at three o'clock. Unstructured play is not planned by adults; it is directed by the children themselves. Play has been deemed so critical and fundamental to childhood that the right to play has been enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Outdoor play is encouraged because it promotes physical activity and reduces risk factors such as obesity. Active play involves physical activity that produces moderate to vigorous spurts of energy that can increase a child's heart rate. The duration and intensity of play changes as the child gets older. In a study done in Canada on children aged 7 to 11 years old, found that found children produced active messages and construed physically active play as superior to other types of play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that physicians and health care professionals promote a wide variety of healthy activities. They also realize that children are more likely to comply if the activities are mostly unstructured and fun. Thoughtfully designed play spaces with natural elements are effective in prompting increased engagement of children. Play and nature cannot be substituted with other measures or materials, which is why it is very important that every child receives the proper amount of play time for his or her age. 

Herrington, S., & Brussoni, M. (2015, February 23). Beyond physical activity: The importance of play and nature-based play spaces for children's health and development [White paper]. UConn Database. Retrieved December 31, 2020, from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/article/10.1007/s13679-015-0179-2