Why do babies need time outdoors?

"How about if they have to sit on the ground and get dirty?"

"What if my child falls?"

"What if they try to put sand in their mouth?"

"But my baby will get sick being outside?"

"I'm too busy in my day to get outside with my baby"

Taking babies outside offers many benefits on all areas of their development and the earlier they get used to being outside, the sooner their love for nature will develop. It is though their first hand sensory  and movement experiences that they learn to make sense of the world and develop key connections in their brain. In order for us to place a greater emphasis on the outdoors in our practice with babies and toddlers we must understand that the outdoors offers a richness that isn't available inside. We don't want to just take out indoor resources and put them outside - we must use the nature around us!

Yet many parents and early educators lack the confidence to make nature based play with babies work. With worries around risk, dirt and over scheduled days being some of the key barriers. 

“Children experience the world with their whole being - body, spirit, energy, minds, hearts, compassion, tears, laughter, anger, pride, learning, understanding, love, and soul. Children play, grow, and feel the world around them intensely.” Rusty Keeler, 2008

Less opportunities for movement

Many young infants are experiencing delays in key movement skills that can be caused by a number of reasons: global development delay, genetic disorders, autism, cerebral palsy, born pre-term, joint hypermobility, low muscle tone and Down syndrome. However they can also be delayed by having a lack of opportunity to freely move, crawl and explore their environment and being part of what can be referred to as the 'indoor generation'. Many babies find themselves moving from cot to highchair, to pram or car seat with few opportunities to practice and refine their early movement skills. With many adults living such fast paced lives and finding themselves rushing from one activity to the next it can often be easier to pick the baby up and transport them to the next thing rather than encouraging them to move themselves. Even taking a toddler on a regular walk to the shops can provide so many valuable learning opportunities as well as developing muscle strength in their legs. Learning about the regular places that are walked passed, the seasonal changes that happen and taking the time to stop and dawdle while noticing a natural curiosity. On a busy day when a toddler may be in a pram they are speedily moving passed all these moments to notice and learn. 

“Think of some ordinary, boring, everyday walk, the couple of blocks to the local 7-eleven store. Taking that same walk with a two year-old is like going to get a quart of milk with William Blake… The trip becomes a hundred times more interesting, even though, of course, it does take ten times as long.” Gopnik, Meltzoff & Kuhl 1999: 211

Occupational therapist Angela Hanscom writes "kids of all ages should get at least three hours of free play outdoors a day." and on average most children spend 4-7 minutes a day outdoors. 

Lack of movement opportunities in babies can lead to low muscle tone and it can impede on the development of a strong vestibular systems (balance). When babies are learning how to crawl they not only develop healthy two sided brain development but have a strong shoulder complex and build the foundations of basic co-ordination patterns. The impact of missing these opportunities can be seen in Primary aged children as they move through school.  Hanscom describes that , "children are frequently falling out of their seats in school, running into walls, tripping over their own feet, and unable to pay attention." 

Getting into nature with babies

“The child is wonderfully prepared for active learning from birth.  Children approach the world with all senses open, all motors running – the world is an invitation to experience.  Their job is to develop and test all their equipment, make sense of the confusing world of people and things and unseen mysterious forces and relationships, like gravity, number and love.  Toddlers are furiously becoming … these restless, mobile characters have a drive to take apart the existing order and rearrange it, by force if necessary, to suit their own whimsically logical view of the universe.”   Jim Greenman, 2007

With new babies comes the excitement from many parents to join many different types of indoor sensory classes. Many of these can be highly engaging and provide wonderful sensory opportunities to learn. However we must not forget the richness of ‘just being outside’ and the free sensory benefits this has on a babies early development. Every season brings a unique opportunity for babies and infants to get outside and experience the natural elements first hand. From learning to crawl outside they have the opportunity of feeling the change of temperature on their skin, the breeze on their face, the sounds of the birds in the trees to the fluttering of the butterflies. When learning to crawl there is the naturally curiosity spotting something in nature has to get them moving and wanting to discover more. Then there are the sensory opportunities that come with the different colours of the season; the vibrant reds and oranges of Autumn to the sea of blue's and greens in the summer. As adults we can use this time to talk about what we can hear, see and feel with babies and toddlers which is a key way of supporting language development.  

Consider the weather

From a very early age in Scandinavia young children are taken outside to sleep, play and explore. Learning how to live and experience the extreme climate here. If they always waited to go outside until the sun was shining then there would be very little opportunity to learn outdoors. 

Making sure we have the correct clothing and equipment for babies and toddlers is important. That way we don't spoil the child's natural curiosity to explore the outdoors. 

Simple activities for babies and toddlers

We don't need to spend hundreds of pounds on fixed climbing equipment for babies and infants. Having balance beams and uneven ground (grass) creates enough challenge for them. The most importance resource when it comes to taking a baby or toddler outside is your quality interactions with them.  By tuning into what fascinates them, their facial expressions, babbling and offering a commentary about what’s happening when appropriate.  Author Ainsley Arment reminds us that,’ extraordinary lives are formed in the ordinary moments of a relationship rich childhood.’

• Set up a blanket for young babies to lay on outside and look up at the sky. Talk about what they can see, hear and see and the contrast of the colours.
• On a walk with a baby hold them in your arms and give them the opportunity to feel and smell the lavender you walk passed or the crunch of the Autumn leaves in the tree.
• Attach mirrors to your fence and baby and toddler height to encourage them to stand up and look at themselves.
• For the crawlers set up a sensory pathway of grass and carpet tiles and a tunnel to crawl through.
• Invite babies and toddlers to work with balls of different sizes.
• Set up an obstacle course for toddlers to move along with balance beams, hoops to jump into, tunnels to crawl through and something to climb over. 
• Have a collection of ride on toys and dolls push chairs to practice pushing, pulling and filling up.
• Set up a stage and bring the musical instruments outside. Allowing children the opportunity to dance, jump and twirl to the music.
• Set up a tuff tray with water, pots, pans, spoons and sponges and watch how they interact with the natural medium.
• Visit a stream with a baby and listen to the sound of the water flowing over the rocks. Throw a pebble in and watch what happens to it.

“Very young children have a very special way of relating to the outdoor world. It is of enormous interest to them… They have an inborn affinity, curiosity and fascination with the natural world: sky, wind, rain and shadows; plants, trees and leaves; sticks, pebbles and rocks; water, puddles and mud; dogs, birds and beetles and people. Children use their whole body and whole self to engage with, explore, dismantle and think about the world – and this is very apparent when young children are in the real, outdoor world.” Jan White, 2009

Things to consider

• How much time are the babies and infants spending outdoors each day?
• Are there ways you can reduce the amount of time indoors? E.g Taking baby sensory outside into nature instead of always attending a class inside?
• Are any routines stopping you from getting outdoors?
• Can you get out and about into nature (or even your local town) and talk to the baby about what they can see, hear and feel?
• Is there a wild nature space that can be created or accessed outdoors where babies can crawl and walk barefoot on the grass?

Discover more at our Hygge in the Early Years Online Conference where our theme is ‘Sparking Curiosity Outside’. Visit www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk

References

Arment, A (2019) The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child's Education, A New Way to Homeschool, Harper One. 

Gopnik, A., Meltzoff, A. & Kuhl, P. (1999) How babies think: the science of childhood, Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Greenman, J. (2007) Caring Spaces, Learning Places (2nd Edition), Exchange Press

Hanscom, A (2016) Balanced and Barefoot: How unrestricted outdoor play makes for strong, confident and capable children. New Harbinger

Harrison Y. The relationship between daytime exposure to light and night-time sleep in 6-12-week-old infants. J Sleep Res. 2004 Dec;13(4):345-52. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00435.x. PMID: 15560769.

Keeler, R. (2008) Natural Playscapes: creating outdoor play environments for the soul, Redmond WA: Exchange Press

White, J. (2009) Outdoor provision for very young children, Early Years Update 66 March 2009