Jean Piaget has well said that ‘Play is the work of childhood’.  Play means to engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupying one’s mind, and body into something gives that joy. Play improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and young people. 

Through play, children learn about the world and themselves. They get to know about their bodies, and preferences and develop social interactions and personal bonds. They also learn skills they need for study, work, and relationships such as confidence, problem-solving, etc. Play helps individuals of all ages and is a very integral part of our lives and supports our overall health.

Outdoor play and Child’s overall health

From Physical health and growth, Social skills, and Cognitive development to mental and emotional health, play covers it all. A child gets space to move their body, interact and create bonds, work on their cognitive abilities like attention, focus, problem-solving, and decision-making, and give the individuals space and time to manage emotions and stress and release anxiety anywhere stored in the body.

Indoor v/s Outdoor Play

Indoor Games are played within a closed environment and a number of them are played by sitting in one place. They include chess, card games, etc. Whereas, Outdoor games are played on the ground or at least in an open environment. Games such as kabaddi, and kho-kho are outdoor games. We can’t choose that indoor games are less helpful than Outdoor ones. Or playing outside better than playing inside or another way around? No! Right? There are many benefits of outdoor play, just as there are many benefits of indoor play. A better question to ask is 'Why is indoor and outdoor play important?’ as both are essential for children to thrive

One of the main benefits of outdoor play is that it allows children to learn by experience, allowing them to make sense of the world around them and use their imaginations. Playing outside also gives children the opportunity to socialize, make lots of friends and consequently be much happier.

Research suggests that outdoor play increases children's attention span in the long run. Also, sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D and children’s exposure to it during play is beneficial for their overall health and general lifespan.

Traditional games and sports: The time we had as kids

It is quite an observation that kids born early in the 1960s to 2000s were more exposed to and attracted to Traditional games and outdoor play. They did have their interest in the growing idea of Online Gaming but outdoor play was at the heart of these generations. It gave them good physical, emotional and mental health which they preach even now to their own kids.

However now, because our children experience fewer and fewer opportunities to explore nature, run, roll, climb, and swing and because outdoor play is part of being a child, we must find a variety of ways to provide quality outdoor play experiences for children. This task is even more important as our early childhood programs prioritize on teaching basic skills and early academics.

Play at schools-Role of Schools in Play 

Now, preschools have a lot of time dedicated to playing and nowadays the idea of play-based learning has made it, even more, part of school life. However, it is widely known that somewhere and somehow academics take the first seat in the journey of a child’s life at school. We must ensure that Preschools and Primary schools consider it their utmost important task to help students experience the highs of engaging in play as it is what helps them in their coming life as well the academics.

Junior Delhi School preschool mainly emphasizes play in the life of children at school and has play area/grounds, sand pits, and play-based teaching methods. It understands the importance of outdoor play and motivates teachers and parents to become increasingly aware of the same.

Also Read: TOP 5 PLAYSCHOOL IN INDIA