As a mum of two little explorers, I’ve experienced firsthand the incredible impact of outdoor time on their brain development. When my first born was a baby I would simply take him out to our back garden and lay on the grass with him, he was always happiest outside and frankly so was I! Getting outside with young babies (or kids of any age) doesn’t need to be complicated. Simply sitting outside on some grass, sand or dirt and allowing your baby to experience the sounds, smells and feelings that come is enough!
It’s really important for a babies brain development to have a multitude of experiences. Here are some reasons why you should take your baby outside – from birth.
1. Neurological Stimulation:
When your baby is outdoors, their senses go into overdrive. Nature’s sensory stimulation aids in building synapses—the connections between cells in your baby’s brain. These synapses are crucial for cognitive development, essentially shaping how your child thinks and learns.
2. Cognitive Development Boost:
Cognitive development, the process of how children think and learn, gets a significant boost when they explore new surroundings. Allowing them to experience different sights and sounds encourages brain stimulation. Simple activities like smelling different flowers contribute to the formation of brain synapses. When you take your baby outside, their brains soak up loads of new information, piecing it together for optimal development.
3. Strengthening the Immune System:
Did you know that more time spent outdoors, especially from a young age, positively correlates with a stronger immune system? Exposure to a variety of microbes stimulates and strengthens the immune system, even preventing allergies and auto-immune disorders. In simple terms, choosing to take your baby outside is an investment in their long-term health. So next time your baby starts reaching for the dirt or sand, don’t stop them! The microbes are actually positively impacting on their health so there is no need to stress about it being ‘yuck’ or ‘dirty’. My kids have amazing immune systems and I believe that allowing them to eat sand or dirt contributed to that.
4. Better Sleep Quality:
Now, who wouldn’t want to hear the magical words: ‘better sleep’? The good news is, achieving it comes at the simple cost of spending time outdoors. Sun exposure leads to the production of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. Additionally, more time spent in natural light helps regulate circadian rhythms, also known as the sleep-wake cycle. The recommendation is to take your baby out for a morning walk to assist with regulating their circadian rhythms.
So, there you have it—the real deal on how outdoor adventures aren’t just playtime; they’re strategic brain workouts for your little one. Skip the screens, head outside, and watch as your baby’s mind blossoms with each new outdoor discovery.
