Nearly Half of Pre-Schoolers Not Playing Outside

(CNN) — The early childhood
years are crucial for learning and development. That should involve a
great deal of outdoor physical activity and playtime, but that’s not
always the case.

Nearly half of 3 to 5 year olds are not taken outdoors by a parent or caregiver every day, according to research presented in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine this week.

“There’s a big room for improvement in how parents prioritize their
time and what they’re doing in the time they’re spending with their
pre-school children,” said lead study author Dr. Pooja Tandon of Seattle
Children’s Research Institute.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children play outside
as much as possible, for at least 60 minutes a day. Physical activity is
not only good for weight control and preventing childhood obesity; previous research also suggests playing outside improves motor development, vision and vitamin D levels.

“There is evidence that play – just sort of the act of playing – is
important for children’s development of their social skills and their
peer interactions,” Tandon said. “Being outdoors affords children an
opportunity to play in ways that they may not get to when they’re
indoors.”

In the study, researchers studied almost 9,000 pre-schoolers
nationwide and asked their parents how often they take their children
outside to play.

Mothers took their children out to play more often than fathers did.
Working outside of the home was often a barrier for children to play
outdoors, but some parents who worked from home also did not take their
kids out.

In addition, the researchers found that mothers who exercised often
were more likely to take their kids outdoors, as opposed to those who
did not report any exercise.

The study authors also noted that girls had fewer opportunities for outdoor recreation than boys did.

“As caregivers or parents of girls, [we should] rethink how we dress
our girls, and what we encourage them to do as far as play so that they
have the same opportunity for outdoor play as boys do,” Tandon said.

For all parents, Tandon offers a couple of suggestions.

First, check in with your child‘s
care provider or child care center to ensure there is adequate outdoor
time. Make sure that your child is getting it; if not, advocate for it.
By pre-school age, 80% of the children in the study were in child care;
in the U.S., pre-schoolers spend an average of 32 hours per week in
child care.

Second, Tandon suggests coming up with new and creative ways to work
around barriers, perhaps through social and community networks.

“I think parents want to do what’s best for their children and I hope
that this study serves as a reminder that playing outside with your
children is also an important part of what we do as parents,” Tandon
added.