Question

1. The outdoor area is not just for children to develop their gross motor skills, it can be used to support development across many areas.

Describe three (3) ways children can engage with the outdoor environment which will help develop their social, cognitive and emotional skills. (Your response should include one (1) paragraph for each).

In your answer include the following: resources needed, what skills or developmental milestone the children will learn or practice.

Answer 1

Children's interaction with nature, their outdoor activities, plays a significant role in their overall development and wellbeing. It supports development across many areas including their gross motor skills. Outdoor activities aid them in developing physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually etc. These benefits give them the most sought-after developmental increments for their overall wellbeing. There are several ways children can engage with the outdoor environment, which will help develop their social, cognitive, and emotional skills. The most important of these are regular outdoor activities/exercises, social interactions/activities, and outdoor hobbies like gardening or keeping a pet.

Several studies suggest that regular outdoor exercises offer immense benefits for the proper physical and mental development of children. These activities help to mould the children as they interact with nature. For this they need an outdoor space resource like a park or playground where they can do regular exercises, meet different people and interact with them. Outdoor give children ample space for physical development and improves their cognitive skills at the same time. These activities helps to lower their body mass index, improves overall health, improves motor skill, gives them better muscle strength etc., all of which contributes to the improved cognitive skills.

It is an undisputable fact that outdoor activities improve the social skills of children. During these activities they get opportunities to interact with others; with other kids, elders, etc., which significantly helps with their social skills. The resource required is a playground or park and the supervision of elders to avoid fights and unnecessary arguments. When children follow the rules of a game, they are learning to follow the rules of the community/country in future. These activities enable them to live as respectful citizens of future with good peer-to-peer relationships. It enables them to conduct themselves as better citizens with reasoning and responsibility.

Activities like outdoor pet keeping help children to develop emotional skills. It develops an appreciation for the environment and animals, which is a stepping stone for them for the future need of taking care of others in need. It has been found that the love for nature, animals, and fellow humans develop in children who take care of their pets. Their emotional quotient (EQ), one of the most important requirements for a successful person, develops considerably during this outdoor activity. The resources required are an outdoor space for pet keeping where the kids can take care of the pet, play, and communicate with it. Outdoor pet-keeping increases children’s ability to be empathetic about others and to respond to their needs. Thus it helps in the overall emotional development of children teaching them unforgettable lessons and emotional values of a higher degree.