The Benefits of Nature Play: How Outdoor Adventures Enhance Preschool Learning

The sun is starting to set in the distance; nightfall is on the way but not yet here. You’re surrounded by some of your best neighborhood friends and your siblings, chasing after each other in the backyard, jumping from tree trunk to seesaw. You have dirt on your bare feet, and you can’t stop giggling as fireflies begin to dance around you. You hear your mom calling your name in the distance, telling you it’s time for dinner. You’re messy, tired, but your heart is so full. You’re a kid again and your only “worry” is how to keep from tracking this dirt in the house. It’s the ultimate outdoor childhood dream day.

Some of our fondest childhood memories come from our experiences in the outdoors. The outdoors serves as a natural playground for people of all ages, especially children. Young children can take an ordinary outdoor space and, using their imagination, can turn it into anything they dream of. Not only is outdoor play convenient for parents and children alike, but it’s also extremely beneficial for child development.

Outdoor play bonds children to their family, friends, and environment. It is a vehicle for creating incredible memories like the one detailed above. Getting children outdoors and immersed into nature is such a valuable aspect of childhood.

What is Nature Play? 

Nature play is as simple as it sounds: playing outdoors in nature. It is a crucial element of child development and childhood in general. Though it is a simple concept, it offers many benefits to a child’s overall development as well as many enriching characteristics that set it apart from other modes of play.

One of the most important and treasured aspects of nature play is that it is unstructured, compared to traditional learning which is very structured with clear objectives. Nature play has limitless objectives that differ based on each child’s desires and interests. Sensory exploration is a huge component of outdoor play. Nature provides so many interesting elements for sensory play to occur in a child-led manner.

Child-led play is important for fostering a child’s independence and helping children take some ownership over their own learning process, which can cultivate even more curiosity and self-motivation in their learning. Outdoor play experiences provide children with ample opportunities for hands-on discovery, as well as open-ended possibilities for imaginative play.

Benefits of Outdoor Play 

All ages can benefit from engaging in nature play: infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age. (The fun definitely doesn’t stop there, either! You’re never too old to enjoy time outdoors.) Outdoor experiences help to form children into well-rounded individuals. Nature play hits on many areas of child development all at the same time, making it an extremely productive method of early childhood learning.

PHYSICAL

The main aspect of physical development that is grown through nature play is motor skill development, which refers to fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skill-related actions that a child may engage in while playing outdoors include scooping, pouring, picking up small items such as rocks, building small structures with natural materials, and more. Running, climbing, jumping, and balancing are examples of some of the many actions that grow a child’s gross motor skills through outdoor play.

COGNITIVE

Many cognitive concepts are further developed through nature play. As children encounter the many various scenarios, materials, and circumstances outdoors, they must utilize their problem-solving skills. While building imaginative creations with sand or dirt in the backyard or while climbing on tree stumps, children must use problem-solving skills to navigate through play scenarios.

Nature play also develops a child’s understanding of categories, and grows their ability to participate in categorization. The outdoors offers so many elements to mentally categorize: weather, animals, plant life, terrain, and more.

Cause and effect concepts (for example: “if/then” reasoning) are also grown through outdoor experiences. For example, the first time a child picks a flower off of a plant, they may get upset when they realize it will not be able to continue to grow or flourish. Through experiencing this firsthand, they will then understand, “If I pick this flower off of the plant, then it will no longer grow.” They can still obtain this information through verbal instruction from a parent or teacher, but the lesson is easier to understand and, from then on, remember, through their own firsthand experience.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL

Nature play is very effective for cultivating a child’s emotional resilience. As they explore their environment in a hands-on way, their confidence is strengthened, which leads to increased independence. Having higher independence and self-confidence levels will have a positive impact on every area of your child’s development and overall life.

ACADEMIC CONCEPTS

Playing outdoors also exposes your child to early academic concepts without them even realizing it most likely. As they play with nature’s materials, they begin developing an understanding of mathematics through counting, measuring, and patterning. Their language and literacy development is strengthened as their vocabulary increases through exploring the natural world. Of course, exploring outdoors gives your child a front-row seat to the world of science as they make observations and inferences while they play. They learn more about weather elements and wildlife as they engage in the natural world around them.

Connection to Nature 

Regularly engaging in nature play, begins to foster a lifelong love of the outdoors within children. As they create meaningful experiences outdoors, which eventually turn into impactful memories, the foundation will be laid for a love of nature to grow. Additionally, they will develop a respect for the natural world, and eventually learn their role in working to protect the planet.

As they grow up playing and experiencing the outdoors, they will learn over time about recycling, sustainability, and conservation concepts, whether they even realize it or not. Over time, children will begin to develop an understanding of responsible environmental conduct, and how they can be good citizens within their environment. For example, once your child learns about the concept of littering and how it can harm the environment, they will likely remember this lesson and pick up after themselves while outside.

Our Gardening Greenhouse Kit at T is for Tot is an amazing resource to support your child’s exploration of natural materials and concepts relating to the outdoors. As your child plays with the greenhouse kit materials, their understanding of plants will grow. They will get to go on a nature walk to collect materials for the activities in the box, which gives them a reason to get outdoors and begin developing an appreciation for the environment.

Fostering Creativity 

As a child plays and explores outdoors, they develop a deeper sense of wonder. (Children are experts at cultivating this!) When children develop a sense of wonder, they let their imagination run wild, fostering creativity within them in the process. Nature provides limitless opportunities for open-ended play.

Children are forced to think and play creatively as they invent their own games and activities with the many available materials. Using their creativity and imagination, suddenly sticks aren’t just sticks anymore; they’re magic wands. Trees become towers and castles, and rocks become currency. Nature’s items become tools for storytelling in their wildest imagination. The possibilities are endless, as a child’s mind is truly unique.

Supporting your Child's Outdoor Play 

There are some actions parents and educators can take to motivate children to play outdoors. The most simple action is to just encourage outdoor play daily (as weather permits.) Make it a part of your daily routines and schedule so they know when to expect it. This way, they will eventually be used to it and will likely look forward to it. No matter the weather, be prepared to dress your children appropriately to make it work, outside of any severe weather situations, of course.

Provide supplemental materials for your child to utilize in open-ended ways, such as a “mud kitchen” or kitchen materials such as measuring cups for them to explore with. Ask them open-ended questions as they experiment with many textures and materials to help get their wheels turning.

Make sure to prioritize their safety by childproofing the environment as much as possible, such as having a fenced-in yard and making sure adult tools are secured in a place where children cannot reach them. It’s important to supervise as they play, but try not to overpower their play scenarios as this may hinder their own exploration. As long as they’re staying safe, try not to intervene and let their imagination lead.

A valuable way that parents can help cultivate a love of nature within your child is by modeling behavior and attitudes when it comes to the outdoors. Set an example for your children about getting regular outdoor time and make it a priority within your family. Children are notorious for mimicking and imitating the behaviors they observe. If they see your enthusiasm for the outdoors, they are more likely to exhibit this themselves.

Our Great Outdoors Camping Kit at T is for Tot gives you and your child a specific opportunity to get outside in nature together to explore and gather materials to go with the activities included in the box. At T is for Tot, we aim to bring fun to the learning process and focus on letting kids play to explore. This camping kit is a great start! We would love to be a resource for you and a partner with you in your child’s development.

Time to Explore 

A child’s lifelong love of nature is built in childhood. Nature play provides immense opportunities for exploration, therefore positively contributing to a child’s overall development. Through nature play, your child can further develop their fine and gross motor skills, build an environmental awareness, and have ample opportunities to foster creativity.

You have the unique opportunity as a parent to support your child’s development and create meaningful bonding experiences with them through outdoor play. You are the facilitator of some of their best childhood memories, and what an honor that is. Now, the roles are reversed. Instead of you playing in the yard and hearing your mom call for you to come home for dinner, you are now the one calling out for your own child to come inside. Remember to get out there and enjoy it alongside them, too!