Significant changes in society, mainly technological advancements in the digital age, have resulted in a decreased amount of time that children spend playing outdoors. This decline can have negative effects on their childhood experiences and development. Did you know that despite the perennial sunshine in Dubai, 90% of the UAE’s population is Vitamin D deficient? This result was from a study conducted by the Dubai Health Authority in 2017 as part of a food education programme rolled out in nurseries. Sunshine as a source of Vitamin D for children in Dubai is not the only benefit to playing outside.
Now that the weather is getting cooler in Dubai, we outline the benefits of outdoor activities for children and the reasons why Emirates British Nursery makes this a priority.
Why outdoor play is important for children’s development?
1. Quality Family Time
Quality family time is very beneficial for children’s development and enjoying the outdoors is a great way to spend time together. Situated in Dubai, our community is fortunate to enjoy beautiful weather with blue skies and sunshine year-round. Excluding the few warmer months over summer, for most of the year the weather in Dubai caters well to spending time outdoors. There are many physical and mental health benefits to spending time outside for all of us, not just the children and while the weather is good, we should make the most of it. From the beautiful beaches, variety of parks, pristine desert and Hajar mountains in Hatta, Dubai offers a unique natural landscape with plenty of outdoor activities for the whole family. Dubai is a wonderful place to raise children and with access to so many outdoor activities on offer and great weather, we encourage our Emirates British Nursery families to make the most of this.
2. Helps Children Socialise
Learning how to work together in teams is essential for children. They must learn how to cooperate, share, and establish positive relations. By interacting in only structured settings, such as the home or indoor classrooms there are some limitations to the group play dynamic that is naturally formed on playgrounds. That’s why all of our nurseries have outdoor playgrounds.
Find out how socialisation plays an important role in your child’s development.
3. Improves Motor Skills
Outdoor play imparts more advanced motor skills in children than their indoor counterparts. These skills include agility, balance, and coordination. With outdoor play, children also enjoy activities, such as biking, running, and walking. There is a reason behind these improvements; outdoor spaces have a lot of room, when compared to enclosed spaces. This empowers children to throw, swing, jump, run, and walk with greater freedom. They can climb trees, play catch, and ride bikes. This way, they stretch their physical abilities to the maximum, gain confidence in their movements, and strengthen their bodies.
Some of our facilities like our bike tracks at all of our nurseries in Dubai, and swimming pool at the Mirdif, Dubai Motor City and The Villa nurseries are just some examples of the nursery features that give children access to plenty of outdoor activities.
Find out more about our nurseries in Dubai: Motor City Nursery, Mirdif Nursery, Dubai Silicon Oasis Nursery and The Villa Nursery.
4. Gets Them to Appreciate Nature
Today’s digital world is evolving at a rapid rate, distracting children from experiencing nature. Creating a warm and nurturing environment for children to develop in is our priority. We want our nurseries to be beautiful spaces that children love spending time in. As such, all of the nurseries are purpose-built with the children’s needs in mind. All four nurseries offer outdoor spaces in nature for the children to enjoy.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how beneficial outdoor play is for your child, encourage them to play outdoors as often as possible. At the Emirates British Nurseries, we have a combination of indoor and outdoor learning spaces which give children ample opportunity to spend time outdoors. Our play ethos encourages children to learn confidently through play and our multiple outdoor spaces and resources help facilitate this. To ensure that your children can reap the benefits of outdoor play, consider enrolling them at a Dubai nursery that incorporates outdoor learning in their curriculum and facilities. Emirates British Nursery have amazing outdoor areas at all of our nurseries in Dubai.
