Just a couple of decades ago, children used to spend hours playing outside – playing the jump rope, kick the can, playing tag, hopscotch and more. Today, we see kids being forced outside to play so that they can be away from the television or video games, or both! Society today is starting to ignore the importance of physical activity amongst children, but Montessori believes that children, especially preschool children should play outside to get their dose of exercise for the day.
To maintain weight and to build healthy bones and muscles, children should play outside for at least an hour a day. Problems such as obesity, sleepless nights and boredom will automatically vanish!
At the daycare, we play games with children – outdoor games where they are able to run, jump, skip and play. Games like fire and ice or tag engage children’s attention for long periods of time. A simple game of hopscotch can help burn calories and promote activity.
Sports is another thing we promote to our preschool children. Get your child to run a relay race, swim or play a game of tennis. Look into the community centers in your area which are sure to have many kinds of sports facilities.
The best thing you can do to promote health and activity is to lead them by example. If you take them to a park regularly and run a few rounds with them, chances are they will want to do it often. Parents who cycle with their kids from a young age have kids who enjoy this activity till they grow up.
Children will always remember play dates with friends at playgrounds. Make this a habit a day a week and see how your kids become more attached to the outdoors than to their TV sets.