Spirit of play

Parenting is a complex business these days and the key word there is “business” because the industry that has grown around offering advice to parents is enormous. You can buy books, watch videos, attend lectures, and tune in to webinars all aimed at telling you the keys to successful parenting. In some ways what this article is about to offer adds to that panoply of often conflicting advice but in another way it says that a lot of the complex advice is unnecessary. That is because new research shows if you want your child to have a stronger sense of self-fulfilment and confidence, then the simple prescription is to let them spend more time playing outdoors.

To study the effect of where children spent their time when playing the researchers interviewed children aged seven to eight years, interviewed their parents, analysed drawings and diaries from the children, and observed the children.

It emerged that children who expressed the strongest sense of spirituality spent the most time outdoors. Children who spent the most time engaged in free play outdoors also showed the greatest appreciation of Beauty such as balance, symmetry and colour. Those children also showed an increased appreciation of order and sense of wonder.

Children who played outside five to 10 hours a week also were more likely to say they felt a spiritual connection with the earth and that they had a role to protect it. These children also believed that a higher power had created the natural world and they experienced awe at phenomena like storms. At the same time these children who spent time outdoors expressed a a greater sense of happiness and belonging in the world.

The researchers believe that the diversity and ever-changing characteristics of nature encourage children to problem-solve and build self-confidence in the process.

So some regular time spent outdoors in unstructured play will help your child. It’s only natural really.