Author: jamie carter

Over the years, indoor play has become increasingly popular, to the point that it threatens to overtake outdoor play. However, as a parent you want the best for your kids and thus might be wondering which of the two is better. The truth is that you cannot completely do away with one over the other. According to various studies and researches, both indoor and outdoor plays have their pros and cons. The trick is therefore to maximise on the benefit of each while striving to minimise the disadvantages. There are times when one option may not be possible and thus the need to learn how to incorporate both kinds of play into children’s play routine.

Outdoor Play

According to Burdette and Whitaker, 2005, outdoor play encourages a child to learn on multiple levels and therefore causing their brain to develop at a fast rate. This in turn makes children become better learners at school and more sociable. A study shared in the American Journal of Public Health also shows that outdoor play helps increase attention span. It is though that more natural settings minimise the symptoms of ADHD in children and encourages more independent thinking. Stress levels in children that play outside are also significantly low.

Besides the psychological advantage, outdoor play offers long-term physical advantages as well. It has been observed that children who play outside and are more physically active will most often than not carry the skill on to their adulthood. Outdoor play therefore can help, not only reduce the risk of obesity in children but also adults of the future. In addition, playing outside is a free and natural way to get Vitamin D, an essential nutrient that helps build strong bones and prevent heart diseases among other health complications. Optometry and Vision Science also reports that spending time outside may help improve a child’s farsightedness, owing to the pupil restriction in brighter light.

Indoor Play

A number of toys and equipment, which have some positive impacts on a child’s development, today facilitates indoor play. Games such as Wii Fit and Dance-Dance Revolution offer some physical advantages similar to those obtained thorough outdoor play. This means that such games can be used as substitutes when outdoor play is not possible. Indoor games can also boost creativity through arts and crafts, playing puzzles, etc. Such games encourage kids to be thoughtful, imaginative and expressive in ways that outdoor games may not allow. The indoor space can also be a great avenue for children to self-regulate, improve their language skills, pay attention to instructions and boost their social skills.

Indoor space mostly allows for soft play, which often has a low risk of injury. Whilst it is important for children to experience risks in their development, supervision and caution are still necessary. Indoor play can be manipulated to reduce risks as you prepare a child for the outdoor structure. It is also allows for easy supervision, especially if your child has special needs, allowing you to regulate indoor play from the immediate area.

Exercise is one of the most important things in our daily lives. Gym membership continues to grow on a daily basis all over the world. But did you know there are exercises you can do own your own without stepping on the gym? Walking is one of them. Apart from improving your physical health and saving you cash that you could have spent on gym membership, this simple exercise turns out to have a lot of other benefits to you and your family than you can imagine. Find out how the whole family can benefit from walking.

Better sleep

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine carried out a study that showed how a daily 20-minute walk can help improve your sleep quality. The study discovered that a person is able to sleep more soundly and also feel energetic as they wake up.

Improves your mood

Endorphins are hormones which are usually released when a person engages in physical activity of any kind, they help in boosting the mood of the individual. Symptoms of mild depression can also be eased to moderate depression by doing regular exercises such as walking. This is because you will create a sense of mindfulness when you enjoy the walk.

Benefits the environment

Did you know you can reduce pollution by taking a simple walk? This is how; by leaving your car at home and taking a simple walk you will have reduced harmful emissions. If your work place, preferred shop or local park are just a walking distance you will just be taking a leisurely stroll.

Reconnects with nature

Appreciating the beauty of nature is most comfortable and fulfilling when you are closer to the environment itself; taking a walk guarantees all this. You will be able to hear the birds singing, be closer to those beautiful flowers and breathe in some wild scents such as garlic. You may be lucky to also spot some wild animals and be able to take some pictures of trees, plants and other creatures.

A perfect family activity

There are many commitments such as social, school and work that usually consume a lot of time leaving the family with little time for bonding. By properly planning with the rest of the family members you can create time for a little walk. This will help the family bond and enjoy nature together. You can also make it more fun by trying geocaching. There is also a chance of meeting other families as you walk around, giving a chance to add new people to your circle of friends as you enjoy the fresh air.

Below are some of the useful walking tips as your family plans on the next walk; Wear shoes that you are comfortable with, take snacks and water bottle for your fuel but remember not to litter the environment, a basic first aid kit that has sun scream, plasters and antihistamines is important for your safety, you may also carry a waterproof coat just in case the rain starts while you are enjoying your walk.

Toddlers love toys, but they don’t necessarily need expensive or hi-tech toys to best support their cognitive and motor development, or for acquiring other types of skills. Here are some of the best tools and toys for ensuring a fun time for the toddler, while assuring development of critical skills.

Picture books and storytelling

Toddlers love picture books for many reasons, not the least because the pictures are so eye catching. If you want to ensure better toddler brain and social development, picture books can help with expanding the world view of toddlers. It is a good idea for parents to discuss the pictures with the toddlers, dive into details about the story, and thus ensure that the toddler gets to learn new things and form their opinion. Puppets are another fun way to keep the creative juices flowing. Puppets can be made easily with scraps of cloth and paper. Toddlers are endlessly fascinated with the stories that puppets can tell and this can help them learn more about the world and share their opinion.

Outdoor fun

Many toys can be used outdoors and they are great fun to use as well. For example, bubbles offer hours of fun to toddlers, who are always amused by the way large bubbles can develop from almost nothing. Bubble kits are cheap and many can be made at home, so they are safe as well. The hula hoop is another option if you are looking for fun activities for children. The hula hoop should be preferably used in open spaces, so outdoors is a good option for this game. Hula hoop offers better motor skills and if your toddler uses it with other kids, it can become a time for social interaction as well.

Puzzles and sorting

Sorting toys come in different shapes and sizes. They are simple toys that can help your toddler quickly develop their motor skills. It is very important that you use the right type of puzzles and sorting toys, as complicated toys will make the child lose interest. Sorting toys should have no more than three to five colours or shapes. Puzzles also include different types of pieces and these must be sorted or stacked following some principle. These can be a great way to help the child learn properties of different things. Playing blocks are endlessly fascinating for children, and they offer plenty of flexibility. Most playing blocks do not have a fixed goal, that is, your child can create anything out of the blocks. This gives them the chance to exercise creativity, and helps their motor development.

Arty Items

Crayons, paints, pens and paper are not exactly toys, but they have played a vital role in nurturing creativity in children. You need to choose crayons that are large enough and offer a tight grip to children who may not be accustomed yet to holding things tightly with their fingers. Crayons will help children learn more about colours, how they interact, and how colours shape the world. It also provides children with an outlet for their creativity. The simplest of things lying around your home can be shaped into toys for kids, if you plan to create toys on a budget.

Wooden toys may seem fairly outdated to you, and perhaps more suited to your parents’ or even grandparents’ generation, but they are actually one of the best options for children when it comes to play. With a range of wooden instruments, jigsaws, toy cars, animal figures and play stands, it’s clear that wood offers a variety of interesting uses. All of these toys are also cheap, safe to use, free of chemicals and durable enough to last for years to come. Here are a few more reasons why you should think about adding to your children’s wooden toy collection.

Affordability

Since wood is a natural resource, it is a readily available raw material for the manufacture of toys. This makes wooden toys budget friendly when compared to plastic toys. Even more importantly, these toys don’t usually need batteries, which makes them more convenient for use. Save money and get your child a wooden classic toy.

Safety

Wooden toys have no lead paint and they’re usually quite lightweight, meaning that there’s no risk of them causing any harm to children. Plastic toys, on the other hand, can break very easily and the sharp edges that remain may seriously cut the tender skin of the child. Metal toys are even more harmful since they are bulkier. The safety of your child is only guaranteed with a fascinating wooden toy.

Handmade

If you’re feeling productive, you can always make a wooden toy from a piece of wood without necessarily having to buy any accessories. Though time-consuming, this will save you a lot of money in the long run. Handmade wooden toys make great and thoughtful gifts as a lot of time and effort goes into making them special for the child.

Chemical Free

Unlike plastic toys or metal toys, wooden toys have no added chemicals. Quite often, children and toddlers may put their toys in their mouths and you may not be around all the time to check up on them. Getting wooden toys for them will therefore reduce the possibility of being exposed to harmful chemicals such as polyvinyl chloride.

Durability

With proper care and use, wooden toys can last for years. This is unlike plastic toys which are very subject to breakage and damage and are comparatively expensive. It is up to you to select the toys that will not keep breaking during the more enthusiastic play sessions. It is impossible for wooden toys to get damaged regardless of the number of users or the nature of your child. If you want to invest in toys and be sure that they will last for generations to come, then wood is the best option.

Eco-Friendly

Wood is a natural resource that has the capability to biodegrade and can also be easily recycled for a sustainable environment. Plastics, however, are carcinogenic and can trigger allergic reactions if they make contact with the skin. In addition, during the manufacture of plastics, toxic materials are released into the atmosphere, initiating pollution. The overall result is a compromised environment.

Added Skills

Most of the wooden toys available have no sound or light features, thereby helping your children create their own sound during play sessions. In due time, this will help to build their imaginative thinking and creativity. Wooden stools also come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours. This will allow your child to acquire the unique ability to differentiate between colours and shapes.

The Parks & Recreation department in Denver, Colorado are looking to the natural environment as they seek to replace and rejuvenate a number of dated playgrounds in the city. Natural playgrounds, constructed from recycled trees and boulders have become a very popular option in replacing traditional playgrounds that are made up of metallic slides, swings and monkey bars.

According to recent studies, children generally get bored quickly when they are taken to a typical old fashioned playground set-up. But when children visit playgrounds that embrace the surrounding natural environment, children tend to stay for a longer period of time and return more frequently.

At Pasquinel’s Landing Park in Denver, construction of the first nature playground us already underway. The playground has been designed by Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, who are a reputable Canadian company known for building world-class playgrounds all over the globe. The company also has two other ongoing projects in Westwood Park and First Creek near Denver international airport. These projects are due for completion this year.

Adam Bienenstock, the Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds Founder and CEO, who also happens to hold the position of Principal Designer, was at the Pasquinel’s Landing park in order to observe and supervise the construction of the nature park. The play items are made mostly from tree wood taken from local parks and from a friendly neighbour’s front yard.

Mr Bienenstock said that “the most important part of this is we just want kids to connect to nature in a way that I remember when I was a kid, but we know is missing from most of their lives now”. Mr Bienenstock also said the natural playgrounds are one of the few places where children can have this experience.

This popularity of these ‘green’ playgrounds has extended beyond the shores of Pasquinel’s landing park. Other cities in Denver have also started to see the benefits of installing natural playgrounds. Broomfield and Westminster have set up plans in place for projects and Littleton already has a natural play area along the Mary Carter Greenway.

Emily Patterson, the parks for people program manager for the Trust of Public Land, believes that the natural look of the parks speaks to the youth in ways that could never be imagined, connecting their minds to the world of nature, and prompting them to explore more of the terrain.

Jackie Miller, the director of youth initiatives for Great Outdoors Colorado, believes that even though the trend of natural parks will continue to grow at a rapid rate, people should not rule out traditional parks just yet. She commented that “We see a lot of playground projects and the trend is definitely shifting towards more natural play. There will always be a place for traditional equipment, but there is a growing interest in bringing nature close to home”.

Bienenstock believes the natural setting ushers in a lot of advantages, like encouraging independence and social skill development for children. The playgrounds can also help to boost children’s creativity in a way that traditional playground set-ups have been unable to.

Denver has made an innovative move, and we can only hope that cities around the world will follow in their footsteps. It’s time to encourage our children to enjoy their natural surroundings and connect with nature once more.

For lots of children, there’s nothing more exciting than having their own garden den or playhouse. Playhouses are the best place for children to engage in unstructured and unsupervised play; something that’s vital if children are to develop into self-reliant and emotionally sound adults.

Children learn how to become adults by playing imaginatively without the involvement of their parents. This is the time when children are free to dream up their own rules and feel as though they are in charge of their own lives. There are many inexpensive playhouses available, and you could even construct your own. Here a few more reasons why every child should experience the delight of having their own playhouse.

  • Group play and social development

An outdoor playhouse is the best place for children to learn how to work and communicate with each other in a group play activity. Children can foster their social skills and language abilities whilst developing important co-operation and leadership skills.

When using the playhouse with friends, children can enjoy taking different roles as they play and use their imaginations to play out elements of a real society. This builds a foundation for developing the skills that children will need to perform in the real adult world.

  • Encouraging independence

Playhouses allow children to be on their own and bond with their friends, away from the inhibiting watch of their parents. With younger children, you should, however, stay within close range to ensure safety through minimal supervision.

Pretend games encourage children to make decisions on their own without depending on their parents. Children will also learn how to face their fears and deal with possible conflicts and differences. Children will be more inclined to solve issues that might arise while playing. These skills allow children to become a lot more responsible at an early age.

  • Promoting physical exercise

An outdoor playhouse provides children with the chance to move about and be active. This reduces the amount of time that children will want to spend in front of televisions and computer screens. Having regular exercise to an outdoor playhouse will naturally increase the amount of physical exercise that your children undertake and the amount of time spent outdoors. In turn, this will lead to stronger, healthier bodies and a better immune system.

  • Stimulating creativity

Playhouses provide children with a space of their own and open the door to a variety of activities. Children can use their imaginations to turn the playhouse into anything from a home or school to a fire station or doctor’s surgery. Children may choose to furnish and decorate their playhouses based on their own tastes and creativity.

Most parents want their children to grow up in a healthy and active environment, playing outdoor games, rolling in the grass with their friends, and learning to be a part of the natural surroundings. According to a survey conducted by the National Trust, nine out of ten parents would like their children to have a close connection with nature and spend more of their time outside.

Shockingly, the research also suggested that modern children spend half of the amount of time playing outdoors that their parents did. An average child spends only four hours per week outside, which is 50% less if you compare it to their parents. The adults who were spent about 8.2 hours a week on average playing outdoors when they were children.

Technology versus nature

Technological development may be a reason why children are increasingly spending their time indoors. 83% of the parents who were questioned agreed that it was important that their children learned to properly use technology. However, a further 96% of the adults questioned were sure that playing outside was even more important for the development of their children. The participants of the survey included 1,001 parents with children between four and fourteen.

The National Trust children activity campaign

The National Trust is a charity involved in the preservation of cultural heritage and the natural environment by providing it with public access. The Trust created a list of ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 and three-quarters’ in order to promote an active lifestyle among younger children. It consists of a list of fifty challenges that a child has to tick as completed by the age of eleven and three quarters.

Among the must-do activities, there are activities such as climbing a tree, playing pooh sticks, building a den, going stargazing, hunting for bugs and many other imaginative outdoor games that have been created to get children excited about outdoor play.

Raleigh Ritchie becomes a campaigner

The famous Game of Thrones actor and talented musician, Raleigh Ritchie, recently joined the National Trust campaign. Ritchie has written a rap and made a short video about the exciting activities that children can do outside.

Ritchie used the example of a simple wooden stick that might be a drumstick, a microphone, a broom, a magic wand, an archery bow or even a dragon bone. The purpose of the song and the video was to inspire children to use the simple items that surround them and use their imagination to create endless possibilities for games.

A summer of adventures

As the summer season approaches, the National Trust have set a goal to inspire children and their families to go outdoors, explore and discover new places. On its website, the organisation prepared a list of places with detailed information and recommendations of places to visit for family adventures. The list includes historical estates, gardens, islands, abandoned mines and many different kinds of hidden treasures throughout the UK.

Despite the results of the survey, children are curious and imaginative by nature, and with the continued help of adults, it is possible to bring the traditional outdoors-focused childhood back into the modern world.

Researchers have found that toddlers who spend more time playing on smartphones and tablets are getting less sleep than those who do not. This is according to a study in Scientific Reports, which also found that every hour that youngsters spent per day using a touch screen could be linked to 15 minutes less sleep at night time.

There has been a rapid escalation of touch screens used in the home in recent years, but our understanding of their impact on early childhood development has been lacking. The study, which was undertaken by Birbeck at the University of London, questioned 715 parents of children below 3 years about their children’s usual exposure time to a smartphone or a tablet, as well as their sleeping patterns.

The study revealed that 75% of the children used a touchscreen every day. 51% of the subjects between 6 and 11 months old used a touchscreen on a daily basis, and 92% of the toddlers between 25 – 36 months did too.

Children who play with touchscreens tend to sleep less at night and more during the day. Despite the study being timely, experts say that parents should by no means lose sleep over its findings.

One advantage attributed to the use of touchscreens by the toddlers was the quick development of their motor skills. This, however, was linked to those toddlers who were actively involved in the use of touchscreens rather than passively. Swiping the touchscreen during games instead of just watching videos was shown to accelerate the motor skills of the children.

Due to these new findings, there has been controversy over whether to deny or allow children the use of touchscreens. In response, one of the researchers, Dr Tim Smith claims that since the science is quite immature, plus the fact that humans are lagging behind the technology, it would be very tricky to make a decision as it is quite early to form clear declarations.

Smith, however, suggests the use of the regulations similar to those put in place for the amount of time spent watching television. This means putting a limit on the total time spent on devices, ensuring that children are still involved in physical activities, making sure they are exposed to age-appropriate content as well as avoiding touchscreens during the hour prior to bedtime.

According to Dr. Smith, 10 to 12 hours of sleep for children every day is not a massive amount of time. However, he stressed that sleep comes with its benefits and that every minute of sleep is vital for children’s development.

A cognitive development researcher at the Coventry University, Dr. Anne Joyce commented that “As the first study to investigate associations between sleep and touchscreen use in infancy, this is a timely piece of research”.

In regard to the findings revealed by the research, Dr. Joyce advises that it would be well-worth parents minimising their children’s touchscreen time, as well as other media usage blue light during the hours before their children go to sleep. Dr. Joyce further added that since little information about the touchscreens and their impact on sleep is known, it would not be appropriate to ban them completely.

According to Prof Kevin McConway of The Open University, a child who spends 25 minutes using a touchscreen on daily basis will lose around 6 minutes of their sleep. He reassured parents that “I certainly wouldn’t lose any sleep over these results if I still had young children”.

The Queen’s Scottish residence, Holyrood Palace, is due to get a rather exotic upgrade as part of a £10 million garden makeover. Both exotic and indigenous plants will grow together in a “medicinal” garden paying tribute to the Royal Botanic Garden located in Edinburgh.

The garden makeover project is part of the enormous programme totalling £37 million, whereby £27 million will be used for the Windsor Castle redevelopment. The garden project draws inspiration from the original “physic” garden in the 17th century. The garden was used to teach students about the medicinal properties of the plants, informing the science of the time.

Robert Sibbald and Andrew Balfour are the two physicians who created the botanic garden in Edinburgh in 1670. At first, the botanic garden was approximately the size of a tennis court, and after various location changes, it grew to become what it is today.

The new feature will be located on the residence which has been home to members of the Royal Family for hundreds of years. Depictions of the earliest botanic gardens will be revisited to assist in the creation of the new feature. Alongside the botanical garden, there will be a new flowering meadow planted to reflect the Holyrood Abbey historic garden which was run by Monks in the 15th century.

The gardens will be redeveloped to become one of the most popular features attracting visitors to the castle. In fact, the £10 million project is being undertaken to change the public’s perception of the palace, making it more welcoming to tourists and local visitors. Visitors will be able through the main gates of the palace and around the new gardens, enjoying a family-friendly day out.

Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House have been receiving visitors for centuries. Every year. It’s estimated that around 1.5 million people now visit the Queen’s residences, according to Jonathan Marsden who is the director of the Royal Collection Trust.

Marsden went on to say that “We want everybody to have a proper sense of arrival, to be able to make choices about how they go about their visits. We will interpret the palaces and collections in new ways, open up new spaces to the public and we’re going to create two purpose-built learning centres”.

According to Marsden, returning the garden to its birth place will offer visitors a new focus of interest to the palace and the community as well. The project consummates the spectacular setting of the palace within Holyrood park’s natural landscape even beyond Arthur’s Seat.

The programme is also meant to enhance the surroundings of the palace, thus providing a family friendly area within close range to one of Scotland’s most beautiful streets, the Royal Mile.

Restoration of the Royal Botanic Garden to its birthplace in Edinburgh is part of a Royal Collection Trust plan that will bring more collaboration while increasing chances for people to be inspired by the plants’ botany and their history.