The physical benefits of a child playing with outdoor toys are evident in children who enjoy playing outside. It is a not secret that obesity, along with other health issues, is a growing problem in children and is part due to lack of time kids spend outdoors. Being overweight increases the possibility of many different health conditions. When a child plays outdoors, riding a bike, swinging or running amuck he or she is more likely to stay at a healthy weight, an important precursor for their adult body weight.

Obesity is only one problem that is associated with kids not playing outdoors; many kids are vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D is important for the body to absorb calcium and control the protein and rennin that is associated with blood pressure. When kids spend time outdoors, the sunshine helps their bodies to make the vitamin D that they need for ideal overall health.

Because playing outdoors with toys gives kids the opportunity to run, climb, jump, ride, yell and use excess energy, it can also lead to improved behaviour and better sleep. Playing is also important because it builds muscles, conditions the lungs and strengthens muscles.

Not only is outdoor playing important for physical reasons but also for emotional and social reasons. It can encourage improvement in a child’s ability to reason and think logically. Taking risks and using their imaginations are also encouraged. When kids play outdoors with other kids, it builds social skills that are needed to form relationships throughout life. Playing outdoors makes kids happier and offers many development perks.

Gardening is one activity that kids can benefit from in many different ways. Garden toys help build a strong relationship between a child and nature. Gardening helps kids learn patience as they tend to fruits and vegetables as they grow. They also learn about how to nurture and what it takes for something to live. Working as a family in a garden teaches kids how to share and work together.

Working in a garden, kids are surrounded by moments filled with teaching. With garden toys, they are able to learn about the world hands on. Gardening also has a calming effect; a time to connect with nature and relax. Walking, bending and moving provide a great and fun way to exercise. Planting a fruit or vegetable garden makes it much easier to feed children healthier and makes kids more eager to choose better foods.

Watching a seed turn into a fruit or vegetable is a miracle of life and kids who garden learn how to appreciate that. Kids see that sunlight, water, dirt and care are necessities in the plant world as well as in the human world. Gardening give kids a way to love the simplest things that life has to offer.

The benefits of being outdoors are many and it is sad to see that the amount of time kids spend outdoors has drastically declined over the years. Time spent on games and television instead of outdoors can never be taken back or replaced.