Why Outdoor Play Matters: Boosting Kids’ Learning, Health & Happiness After School

Discover the benefits of outdoor play for kids after school! Learn how time outside boosts learning, encourages physical activity, and supports healthy development.

Outdoor Play

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a total of 60 minutes of unstructured, outdoor play for kids every day. The benefits are numerous. So the question becomes – Are you kids getting this?

It doesn’t matter if your kids attend public, private, or home schools. 

Grade school children need to be outside too.

After a long day of sitting in classrooms and focusing on schoolwork, kids need a chance to unwind, move their bodies, and simply be kids. One of the best ways to support their physical, emotional, and cognitive development is by encouraging outdoor play. Whether it’s climbing trees, playing tag, or just exploring the backyard, time spent outside offers countless benefits that go far beyond fun.

Let’s take a closer look at why outdoor play is so important—and how a little fresh air can make a big difference after school.

Here are 5 key benefits of outdoor play for kids:

• Physical Health – Running, jumping, and climbing improve strength, coordination, and overall fitness.
• Mental Well-being – Fresh air and nature help reduce stress, anxiety, and improve mood.
• Social Skills – Outdoor play encourages teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution with peers.
• Creativity and Imagination – Unstructured play outside sparks creativity and problem-solving.
• Cognitive Development – Exploration and hands-on learning in nature support critical thinking and curiosity.

At our household, we have made it a priority for our kids to have outdoor playtime every day.  We have almost hit the halfway point to the school year. Grades will be given for excelling in math and reading. No grades will be given for outdoor play, but in my opinion, it is just as important, if not more important, for our children.

I was lucky, because both my husband and I grew up in families with the same belief. Yes, I admit we do not have sub-zero temperatures here, but I have lived in much colder places. We grew up sledding, cross-country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, and more. 

When we visit with the kids, my friends from up North comment that my kids spend more time outside in one week than their kids do all month. Cold is not an excuse (Dangerously cold is!)

Unstructured play means that we just let our kids be. They play. They create. They use their creativity.  Although we do many activities outside, like gardening and painting, I am working harder at not providing them with how to play, rather just encouraging it! 

Our natural playscape area has helped.

A recent addition of this (not very pretty, but usable and inspired by this post) and the kids went to work weaving – I didn’t say that was what it was for, but I was sure hoping they would use it!!!

This week, we averaged a minimum of 2 hours outside every day. We had picnics, read outside, mud painted, weaved and just played. EVERY DAY! It sure made our week go by so much better. The kids were asking how many books they could bring outside. They were not arguing over which toy to use rather working together to build and create things out of strings and wood.

Not to mention the added benefit that fresh air brings at bedtime – no fussing, just straight to the Land of Nod.

I know that I am not alone in preaching the importance of playing outside… Just look around the web at some amazing families and blogs.

Mama Smiles kids are doing it!

Happy Whimsical Hearts too!

Just Playin Around’s kids are outside too!

So is Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns!

And What We Do All Day is playing outside too!

See – it is not just the American Society of Pediatrics and me urging you to spend time outside with your children, it is also your fellow parents and bloggers. There is truly so much value in outside play.

I hope you were able not to just “sneak” some outdoor free play into your learning week – but embrace the outdoors – no matter what the weather. If not – maybe it can be your next weeks goal!!!

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