Health

from Discover Utah Kids - Spring 2020

Educational

10 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR KIDS ACTIVE THIS SUMMER

Ah, the great outdoors. A place where children play, discover, and learn plenty of valuable life lessons. At least it used to be that way. But research shows a troubling trend away from play outdoors, with kids spending more than six hours a day in front of a screen, and only an average of seven minutes a day in unstructured outdoor playtime doing things like building forts, climbing trees, or exploring local plants and wildlife.

Simultaneously, there is an increase in the number of children suffering from mental health diagnoses, such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

“As a pediatrician, I see how prevalent mental illness is,” says Dr. Cindy Gellner, a board-certified pediatrician at University of Utah Health. “Mental illness seems to be on the rise in children; in fact, one in four children has a mental health diagnosis.”

Getting kids outside can have several benefits for overall health and mental wellness (and perhaps help with parents’ sanity too). In addition to physical fitness, outdoor play leads to better school performance, more creativity, lower levels of depression and hyperactivity, better sleep, and the ability to learn how to work and socialize with others, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How Parents Can Encourage More Outdoor Time As summer arrives in Utah, here are some ways to keep kids active.

1. Create a “summer bucket list” with activities you want to accomplish that don’t involve screens, such as swimming, hiking, fishing or visits to local parks.

2. Balance screen time with indoor or outdoor play, requiring that kids spend an equal amount of time off screens as they do playing video games, watching shows, or being on social media; use a timer or an app like Zift or Screen Time so kids know when screen time is up.

3. Create a sticker chart where kids can track outdoor play time, and reward them with a special activity like an ice cream date if they hit specific goals.

4. Have outdoor activities readily available and easy for kids to find whenever they go outside to play, such as bicycles, skateboards or scooters, outdoor games, or even something as simple as some shovels and buckets to dig in the mud.

5. Create a small garden in the yard or the windowsill where kids can plant food, plants, or flowers, and watch them grow.

7. Provide kids with a safe place to play, then let them play together, resolve issues, and be creative without parent involvement.

8. Be willing to go outside with them, especially if you don’t have a safe place they can go outside and play on their own; a parent who is unwilling to take kids outside could prevent outdoor play as much as screens and other distractions.

9. Enroll them in local clubs or sports that allow them to be outside and socialize with others in a structured environment.

10. Learn to be ok with boredom; it’s a great way to encourage kids to use their imagination, so let them figure out how to entertain themselves without a screen.

Staying Safe in the Summer More outdoor play does come with some risks, so remember these safety tips:

• Make sure they wear helmets, reflective clothing, and other safety gear like knee pads and wrist guards while biking, scootering, skateboarding, or on

ATVs. • Use sunblock to protect against sunburns and skin damage. • Keep them hydrated with plenty of fluids when they play outdoors, and encouraging them to sit in the shade or go inside to rest if they feel especially hot or fatigued. • Always have adult supervision for children playing in or around the water. • Provide protective eye coverings for activities that involve balls, fists, or fireworks.

In addition, parents should know the best place to go if a child does get injured and needs care. For life- or limb-threatening injuries, go to the nearest emergency room. Less serious injuries can often be treated at a place like urgent care or the University of Utah’s Orthopedic Injury Clinic (uofuhealth.org/ injuryclinic), a walk-in clinic with extended weeknight hours to treat things like sprains, dislocations, concussions, strains, fractures, and other orthopedic or sports injuries for children and teens.

The Benefits of Getting Outside Children who spend time outside have a lower risk of developing mental health disorders in adolescence and adulthood, along with other psychologically restorative benefits that the outdoors provides for kids and teens of all ages.

Outdoor play also has a positive impact in other areas of a child’s life. “The most effective tool to help with creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills is playtime,” Gellner says. “It doesn’t matter what kind of play it is—pretend play, physical play, indoors and outdoors. Kids will learn a lot as they use their imaginations.”